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KOSHAN: Other than Maple Leafs’ forward core, much to be determined up front

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With the beginning of coaching camp on Wednesday, expectations for the Maple Leafs will kick into excessive gear because the membership will get right down to brass tacks with the 2021-22 regular-season opener looming on Oct. 13.

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After having a look at Toronto’s goaltenders and defence corps on Monday, at this time we take a dive into the ahead group.

RETURNING: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev, Wayne Simmonds, Jason Spezza, Pierre Engvall, Adam Brooks, Nick Robertson, Joey Anderson

IN: Nick Ritchie, David Kampf, Ondrej Kase, Michael Bunting, Kurtis Gabriel, Mike Amadio, Brett Seney, Kirill Semyonov, Nikita Gusev (PTO), Josh Ho-Sang (PTO)

OUT: Zach Hyman (Edmonton), Nick Foligno (Boston), Joe Thornton (Florida), Alex Galchenyuk (UFA), Riley Nash (Winnipeg), Nic Petan (Vancouver), Kenny Agostino (Nizhny Novgorod, KHL), Stefan Noesen (Carolina), Scott Sabourin (Ottawa)

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Some ensures and quite a lot of questions.

That sums up the Leafs’ forwards three weeks out from the opener towards the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Area.

We might be stunned if the Matthews-Marner combo doesn’t lead to 50 objectives for the previous and 100 factors for the latter.

Sure, there could be a small concern relating to the state of Matthews’ left wrist and whether or not it’ll affect the beginning of his season. Actually, although, it shouldn’t be a difficulty.

Along with his wrist woes lingering via final season, Matthews scored 41 objectives in 52 video games, greater than sufficient to win the Rocket Richard Trophy and a tempo that might have put him at 65 objectives in a traditional 82-game season. Matthews’ subsequent NHL purpose might be his 2 hundredth. Scoring one other 49 to get him to 50 for the primary time ought to be anticipated, even when he’s not 100% to begin.

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Three years in the past, Marner performed in all 82 video games and had 94 factors. Final season, his 67 factors in 55 video games had him on a 100-point tempo over 82 video games. Like Matthews, his finest days within the NHL are forward of him. Lower than 100 factors for Marner? Not if he stays wholesome.

Thirty objectives for William Nylander ought to be assumed. Captain John Tavares, again to full well being after struggling a concussion and a knee harm in Sport 1 of the playoffs final spring, has 198 factors in 201 video games with the Leafs since signing a seven-year pact in 2018. Tavares, who turned 31 on Monday, has to work for what he produces, however like the opposite members of the Massive 4, you may wager he might be additional impressed by the Leafs’ fall to Montreal in Could.

Coach Sheldon Keefe is aware of what he might be getting from the fourth line in Jason Spezza, who turned 38 in June, and Wayne Simmonds. Spezza nonetheless has some pop in his bat, and Simmonds’ nasty strategy isn’t a trait the Leafs have in spades.

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One of many frequent low season questions has been: Who will correctly substitute Hyman? The quick reply is that nobody will. So is the lengthy reply.

The left aspect, to place it flippantly, is unsettled.

Nick Ritchie, who has averaged greater than quarter-hour a sport in solely certainly one of his six NHL seasons, is the favored selection to begin with Matthews and Marner.

If Kampf certainly is pencilled in because the third-line centre, that might liberate Alex Kerfoot to begin on the wing, possible with Tavares and Nylander.

That would go away Bunting on the third line with Mikheyev, whose commerce want was not granted, on the proper aspect. Or Mikheyev, maybe, will get an extended look within the high six.

Then there’s Kase, whose concussion historical past has taken chunks out of his profession. Kase performed in simply three video games final season for Boston, and proper now, his participation shouldn’t be thought-about something greater than a fingers-crossed scenario.

A minimum of 4 different forwards — Engvall, Gabriel, Brooks and Robertson — every would argue that he ought to be within the group of 12 on opening evening. And Gusev and Ho-Sang will attempt to put themselves in that dialog as nicely.

Matthews and Marner lead a bunch that shouldn’t have bother scoring. The core is ready. How all the opposite items match is to be decided.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

twitter.com/koshtorontosun

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