The New Guys
Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said he wanted to add players with more grit to their game. Players that get in your face and won’t back down. Players who stand up for their teammates.
Treliving added NHL heavyweight Ryan Reaves and pesky forwards Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi. One might not classify all three as fighters (Reaves is), but they will play an in-your-face style and not back down from confrontation.
Domi and Bertuzzi are also here to provide secondary scoring. Last season, Domi registered 20 goals and 36 assists for 56 points in 80 games. More importantly, he had 13 points in 19 playoff games.
Bertuzzi missed a lot of time last season due to injury but still managed to register 30 points in 50 games. He is one season removed from posting 62 points in 68 games.
(Stats from hockey-reference.com)
They’re not the only players Treliving added to the Leafs for secondary scoring. He also signed free-agent defenseman John Klingberg. Klingberg registered ten goals and 23 assists for 33 points in 67 games. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will now have Klingberg and Morgan Rielly as scoring threats from the blueline.
Other new players trying to earn a roster spot on the team are forward Dylan Gambrell and defenseman Simon Benoit. Gambrell registered ten points in 60 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, and Benoit registered ten points in 78 games with the Anaheim Ducks. Both could start the season in the AHL if they clear waivers.
Last but not least is veteran goaltender Martin Jones. It is expected that the Leafs will start the season with Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll as their goaltending tandem. Jones is here as added insurance if one of those two gets hurt.