Malgin’s most common line mates:
Kampf/ZAR 98 min
Rodrigues/Newhook 43min
Nikushkin/Compher 36min
Tavares/Marner 36min

Put offensive players in position to succeed.

Jarnkrok - Matthews - Nylander
Tavares - OReilly - Marner
Bunting - Lafferty - Kerfoot
AstonReese - Kampf - Acciari

Rielly - Liljegren
McCabe - Brodie
Gio/Gus - Holl/Schenn

Samsonov
Murray

Malgin is no better than anyone in the top 6. He would be forced into a defensive / checking role. In that role, he is no better than anyone we have in the bottom 6.

Engvall is better than Kerfoot, but Kerfoot has a more proven playoff drive and has also been very versatile for us (as much as I dislike him). He is no better than anyone else in the bottom 6.

Sandin is no better defensively than any defenseman we have on the roster. His offense is fine, but we have Gus and Rielly.

Joey Anderson isn't even the 13th forward for this team.

Are there former Leafs finding success elsewhere? Yeah. Did they find it here? No. I'm getting so tired of this rhetoric in Leafs nation. I have been guilty of it, but after the dust settles and I am not driven by emotion, it makes sense as to why we let go of the guys we did. I'm glad they're doing well elsewhere, but they did next to nothing here

Last year he drafted Minten 38OA when in the rankings this is where he was

Ranked #64 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #47 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #101 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #85 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #28 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #68 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #94 by DOBBERPROSPECTS


This is an example of drafting based on need. As if he wanted the best guy out there Goyette or Belluz would have happened as all were ranked better and have higher projections . Leafs needed a 3c with some bite to his game so he went and drafted Minten, didnt trade down (Maybe should have), didnt gamble on if he would be available later, he did it as there was a need. And with the lack of certain prospects I mentioned earlier and with the changes to the scouting department would not surprise me if a guy like Simashev happens. As Dubas keeps surprising us

Dubas almost always drafts based on position of need early unless its someone from SOO then your almost always guaranteed to come. 2015 was Hunter and besides Marner not a very good drafter and surprisingly that was the one case he moved away from his norm. As if he stuck to it Hanafin would have probs happened.


As for Dubas Amirov and Knies classic examples as he even said with Amirov, we see him in a few years contributing to this team. And this was with Mercer and Schneider sitting there who most scouts viewed as better. But still the need for LW was present.


Another good example Knies and the need for a power forward. The signs were there Hyman was leaving and so in comes Knies who scouts said looked like Hyman in junior but with a better shot and who filled the PF spot. Wonder if Hyman extended would Knies have even been drafted. Some food for thought

Kind of the same with all the goalies. He knew the pool was weak went and drafted 3 goalies then sighed 3 junior FA (Cavelin, Petruzelli, McKay). Kind of mimicking Carolina's system not complaining but interesting.

RN Leafs weak points are C and LD (With Sandin's departure). And as we saw last year Dubas went and got a C in Minten when it was clear we needed some C prospects. And if were going hes the best Belluz was available and scouts had him higher. Now with Sandin's departure if I could go back in time I would tell him go get Hutson but hey we dont got no time driving cars. But still would not surprise me if he does it again or goes and gets a LD to start filling in that hole in the pool.


In the end I feel 2023 will probs be a Center unless ROR extends which rumor has it Dubas is pushing for. And if this happens and Bunting leaves maybe we see a LW drafted. If both are extended then got a feeling a LD like (Allen, Simashev, Lindstein, etc.) is coming unless some guy from the SOO quickly rises the ranks but based on Dubas's last 2 drafts he will probs go off the norm again and draft Simashev 6'4 200 pounds

Sheds some light on the summer

Good piece from Kloke. I'm still bitter that we moved Sandin, but it is what it is and I'm glad he's succeeding. His defense was too shotty to rely on in a playoff run

Sheds some light on the summer

This is good insight...and just goes to prove we, as fans, never know the full story. Whether that's personal conversations/desires/needs or otherwise....I know I was probably quick to assume that Sandin was just pushing for more money/term this past summer

Sheds some light on the summer

After the performance he had vs. OTT idk would have started Murray tonight

Is it just me, or are the Leafs the only "good" team that go from looking like true contenders one game and then looking like a lottery team the next?