Toronto Maple Leafs "New" Depth Chart: Second Verse, Same as the First

For all the hype surrounding the toughness that the Toronto Maple Leafs "new look" line-up is expected to bring, I’m hard-pressed to buy into it. The Toronto Star published a full page article today listing the changes and put out a depth chart as they see it.

The only two new faces in the forward spots are Rickard Wallin and Colton Orr. Wallin is unproven in the NHL though in a brief stint with the Wild between 2002 and 2004 in 19 games he had six goals and four assists for 10 points, perhaps his time over in Sweden has helped him hone his skills. Colton Orr will play five minutes a game max down on the fourth line.

They list extras as Wayne Primeau, Tyler Bozak, and Christian Hanson. Bozak and Hanson will most likely end up down with the Marlies. Jiri Tlusty, who played quite well with the Marlies last year, is listed third in depth at left wing. If he can put up the numbers he did with the Marlies (66 gms/25g/41a/66pts), he should stay up with the club if he makes the team out of training camp. I wouldn’t hold your breath—his toughness is still in question.

Mind you, scoring really wasn’t a problem last year (Leafs finished 10th), and they were near the tops of the league in the shots on net department for most of the season. They finished ninth, averaging 31.7 shots per game.

On defense, which the Leafs have seemingly stockpiled, the two changes are Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin. They're replacing Pavel Kubina, who actually put the puck in the net here and there. He was a threat on the power play with his big shot from the point.

These two new-comers now bump Ian White down to the extras along with Garnet Exelby and Jonas Frogren. White played pretty well moving the puck, and has some offensive skill.

Between the pipes, the stitched up Vesa Toskala will start. Instead of Gerber or Cujo, we now have the “Monster” Jonas Gustavsson in the backup role, and he may be the best offseason acquisition made by Brian Burke.

Everything else has remained the same, so was changing out four of eighteen players and a back-up goalie supposed excite Leaf Nation? The youths within the organization will most likely spend time in whatever league they are allocated too, getting the experience they will need for the future.

That's not very exciting for our Leafs Nation, that would like to see some of this young talent getting a shot up with the big club.

For the full chart posted by the Toronto Star check the link below.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/676908

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