The Toronto Maple Leafs may have finally figured out how to make their fourth line a weapon. After completely overhauling their bottom six, Toronto now has an abundance of physical, defensively responsible forwards, and that could give the Leafs a fourth line unlike anything they've had in recent years.
The most obvious addition to the fourth line, and one whose role is not up for much debate, is Brandon Duhaime.
The 6-foot-2 Coral Springs, Florida native brings nearly everything you want from a fourth-line winger. He is fast, defensively responsible, physical and more than willing to drop the gloves when necessary. Duhaime may be one of the better fourth-line players in the league, which helps justify his $2.6 million AAV contract.
The one thing you shouldn't expect from Duhaime is much offence. He scored just four goals and nine points in 64 games with the Washington Capitals last season, although that came after a much better 2023-24 campaign in which he recorded nine goals and 21 points. Perhaps playing alongside more talented linemates in Toronto can help him get back to that level.
So, who should play alongside him?
Joshua and Blueger give Toronto the foundation for a punishing fourth line
Ideally, the Leafs should have Dakota Joshua on left wing and Teddy Blueger down the middle.
The two developed excellent chemistry during the 2023-24 season with the Vancouver Canucks, when they played significant minutes together in a third-line role. Both players enjoyed career years offensively, with Joshua leading the way by scoring 18 goals and 32 points in just 63 games.
Since then, both players have struggled to replicate that success without one another.
That makes Blueger's arrival in Toronto particularly interesting. It would be strange for the Leafs to sign him without at least considering the possibility of rekindling the chemistry he had with Joshua in Vancouver. The big question is whether Duhaime can complement the two while playing a fourth-line role.
The fit seems obvious.
Joshua and Duhaime can be massive balls of energy, delivering big hits, finishing checks and creating chaos whenever they are on the ice. Both players consistently rank among the league leaders in hits, and putting them together could give the Leafs' fourth line an identity it has lacked in recent years.
Toronto has tried to add physicality to its fourth line before, bringing in players such as Ryan Reaves, Kyle Clifford and Matt Martin. However, those players were often expected to carry the majority of the physical burden themselves.
You can't have just one player responsible for all the grunt work. Eventually, that player is going to get worn down from constantly being the only one delivering hits and fighting. Physicality can be infectious throughout a lineup, but you need multiple players willing to embrace that style of play to truly create an identity.
That's where Joshua and Duhaime could be different.
With both players on the same line, the Leafs would have two players capable of bringing that physical edge every single shift. Add Blueger's defensive awareness and suddenly you have a fourth line that can be trusted in difficult defensive situations while also making opponents uncomfortable every time they step over the boards.
Sissons could fit the fourth line, but Toronto may need him higher up
There are, of course, other combinations the Leafs could consider.
Duhaime found success in a shutdown role in Washington, playing alongside Nic Dowd for much of his time with the Capitals. Duhaime struggled somewhat after Dowd was traded, which raises the possibility that pairing him with another defensively responsible, right-handed centre could help bring out the best in his game.
Colton Sissons certainly fits that description.
Some fans have floated the idea of a fourth line consisting of Nick Paul, Sissons and Duhaime. On paper, that could become an excellent shutdown unit capable of taking on difficult defensive assignments.
However, I suspect the Leafs have bigger plans for both Paul and Sissons.
Toronto paid a significant price to acquire both players, and it would be somewhat surprising if the organization viewed either one strictly as a fourth-line player. Both have the versatility and experience to play higher in the lineup, giving head coach Jim Hiller plenty of options when it comes to deploying them.
That makes Joshua, Blueger and Duhaime the more intriguing fourth-line combination.
Lorentz could make an already physical fourth line even nastier
Lost in all of the discussion is Steven Lorentz, who currently looks like the odd man out.
Lorentz has proven to be a reliable depth forward for Toronto and could easily find his way back into the lineup at some point during the season. Injuries are inevitable over an 82-game schedule, and having a player like Lorentz waiting in the wings is valuable.
And if someone does get hurt, a Joshua–Lorentz–Duhaime line could turn into a hitting gallery, just don't expect them to light up the scoresheet.
For now, though, Joshua, Blueger and Duhaime appear to be the ideal combination. It gives Toronto a fourth line with speed, defensive responsibility, physicality and, most importantly, a clear identity.
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