Toronto Maple Leafs Need More From These 5 Players

The Toronto Maple Leafs made significant changes to their lineup this off-season. Some of the players brought in will benefit from playing with Auston Matthews or John Tavares. However, some will need to step up their game to take pressure off the team’s top guys.

Not everyone new to the Toronto Maple Leafs needs to step up their game. Some were on the team last season, while others have been here longer.

For the team to replace the scoring output lost during free agency this summer, they need everyone to perform well.

No matter where a player finds himself in the lineup, he must find a way to produce offense.

With the changes made by other teams in the Atlantic Division, the Leafs have a good chance of winning the division.

Doing so will be a complete team effort.

It might sound cliché, but the team that scores the most goals wins the game. As simple as that sounds, the Leafs struggled with scoring at times last season. There were too many games where they lost by a goal or lost to a team they should have easily beaten. Those are some of the adjustments the team needs to make to be on top.

Of course, having a healthy Auston Matthews for the entire year will make a huge difference, but with the salary cap situation the Leafs are going to need good seasons from some of their cheaper players.

Here is a look at the five players the Toronto Maple Leafs need more from during the 2023-24 NHL regular season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Need More From These 5 Players

Sam Lafferty

Sam Lafferty joined the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL trade deadline last season.

With the Leafs, Lafferty registered two goals and four assists for six points in 19 games. He recorded 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 70 games between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Leafs. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)

Lafferty will play in the Toronto Maple Leafs bottom six for most or all of the 2023-24 season. He will play on the wing for the third line and should get time on the Leafs  penalty kill. His average ice time last season was 14:37 and will get a similar amount this season. Lafferty had four short-handed goals last season, so he is a good scoring threat on the penalty kill.

Should he not live up to expectations this season, Lafferty’s $1.15 million contract should make him easy to trade, with him also being a pending Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) next summer.

He played well for the Leafs in the playoffs last season with three points in nine games, 66.7% FO%, and 23 hits. More points would have been helpful, but his role was to be successful without the puck, and he did that. (Salary cap info from capfriendly.com)

Expectations for Lafferty this season: 14 goals and 30 assists for 44 points, along with 40 blocked shots, 135 hits, and a 53% FO%.

Calle Jarnkrok

Calle Jarnkrok had a career season last season with 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points in 73 games.

However, when the top guys are not scoring, Jarnkrok is one of the players the team looks to for secondary scoring.

With the off-season additions of Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi, Jarnkrok may get less playing time this season. He will need to make the most out of his ice time.

The 31-year-old Jarnkrok is entering the second year of his four-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a valuable player who can move up and down the lineup and play wherever needed.

Jarnkrok has an incredible shot but needs to use it more often. Considering that he might play more in the bottom six than the top six this season, he will need to make the most out of his shooting opportunities.

He doesn’t need to improve upon last season’s stats very much, but he needs to try and achieve the same or similar stats with potentially less ice time.

He averaged 14:23 last season, and that could drop by a whole minute or more this season. I’m sure he’ll still get a few looks in the top six occasionally, depending on injuries and other factors.

Expect him to showcase why he belongs in the top six and not the bottom six when given the opportunity.

Expectations for Jarnkrok this season are 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points in 75 games, along with 20 blocked shots and 55 hits.

Conor Timmins

Conor Timmins played 27 games last season, 25 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He registered two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. The Leafs will be looking for Timmins to earn a regular spot on their defense.

He will need to have a good training camp and pre-season.

The number one issue with Timmins is his number of giveaways. Last season, he had 16 giveaways compared to six takeaways. A stat like that should be adjusted and corrected if Timmins wants to be in the lineup regularly. He has good blocked shots and hits stats, so if he can find a way to limit his giveaways, he could be a decent defensive defenseman.

With the Leafs having limited cap space, they might have to start the season with a 20-man roster instead of a 23-man roster.

So, if Timmins is not one of the six defensemen on opening night, he could be sent down to the AHL (barring he clears waivers). Another option is for him to get traded.

Should Timmins stay, I think he would benefit from regular playing time. Repetition is important to gain momentum.

Going back and forth from playing and sitting for stretches at a time doesn’t benefit Timmins. However, I think he’s the perfect player to platoon with Mark Giordano.

The 39-year-old Giordano will be 40 on October 3rd, and as good as he is, his game is slowing down. Resting him for a few games at a time and playing Timmins could benefit the Leafs.

Expectations for Timmins this season are four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 35 games, along with 24 blocked shots and 30 hits.

Timothy Liljegren

Timothy Liljegren is entering his third full season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Last season he registered six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in 67 games. He had 23 points in 61 games the previous season. The Leafs need Liljegren to take the next step and earn a bigger role on their blueline.

Liljegren has all the tools to be a good defenseman for the Leafs for years to come.

This season is a chance for him to climb the mountain a little higher. The 24-year-old has a very high ceiling and is still learning.

He has an opportunity this season to earn a regular spot in the top two defense pairings. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him playing on the top pair with Morgan Rielly occasionally.

With the 2023-24 season being the final year on the contracts for T.J. Brodie, John Klingberg, and Giordano, Liljegren has to prove to the coaching staff and management that they can trust him to claim the playing time of one of those departing players.

The 2023-24 season could prove to be a pivotal one for Liljegren and his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Expectations for Liljegren this season should be eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 82 games, along with 105 blocked shots and 120 hits.