I think this is likeliest outcome; or they risk Timmins to waivers & bring up Holmberg as 4C.

I kinda think it's best to waive Lafferty and start Holmgren at centre. Lafferty looks like a winger to me, and the Leaf shouldn't weakened themselves by starting the year with him at centre.

If they run 11/7, then I think Lafferty / Reaves as 4th line wingers. Matthew’s, JT, Kampf maybe even Domi/Willy can take shifts as 4C. Laff will also get time on PK imo

You're right about Domi....

I said this was the outcome like a month amd a half ago.

Pleased to see people coming around to the less than perfect solution.

Simply put: the Leafs DO NOT have the defensive depth organizationally to even entertain the thought process of risking waiving Timmins.. unless there are those sold on Lagesson.

For the amount of ice time that 4th unit sees, a rotation of Domi, Kampf and even Jarnkrok is both doable and likely. Definitely not Willy..... let's not give him.further reason to justify his ask.

Also keeps Gio fresh which is as important as it gets at his age

I guess the question is...until when? What is going to change so that they don;t exhaust the top 4 forwards? What haven;t they seen of those defenseman, that they can;t evaluate what they can/can;t do even before camp. Theres one waiver exempt player there, so unless theres an injury what changes so that they aren;t doing a 20 man roster and a 11-7 all year long?

I think they should dump brodie for a 4th instead so they can run a 23 man roster /s

And for that to work l, you need a Brodie type back..... and that likely doesn't happen.

There isn't much left in the UFA market, and certainly no one that would be close to what Brodie can do.

The forward depth is with the Marlies that if an injury occurs, it is pretty much business as usual. Sure, McMann and/or Gambrell maybe snagged on waivers, but there is Steeves, Robertson, Holmgrem......

Carrying 21 or 22 would only be beneficial if it meant carrying 8 D...... the defensive depth is beyond atrocious.