Tackling the Training Camp Roster: The Forwards

The Leafs have announced their 2008-09 training camp roster which is set to gather Friday for team medicals. The group will join the Leaf Coaching staff on ice at Ricoh Colliseum on Saturday and Sunday for their only workouts prior to the Coca Cola Zero Fans First Game against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. In the next 3 days I'll be breaking down the Leafs training camp roster by position, providing my very own prognostications (as my friend Billy says) on how camp will break down and what the post-camp Leaf and Marlie rosters will look like. Today we start with the Forwards.


The Leafs have invited thirty-six forwards to camp this year as they try to sort out a lineup that got a major overhaul in the off season. While many of the invitees are along just for the experience, there are still perhaps as many as nineteen forwards at camp with making the big team in mind. The final Leafs forward lineup will likely come from a group that consists of...

Those who are all but assured a spot:
- Antropov, Hagman, Stajan, Blake, Steen, Mayers, Kulemin, Tlusty, Grabovski.
Those fighting for an every day role:
- Ponikarovsky, Bell, Hollweg, Moore, Devereaux.
Those on the fringe likely to end up with the Marlies:
- J.Mitchell, Williams, Earl, Boyce, Newbury, Ondrus

It is no secret, the Leafs are going young this year, this is why you see the likes of Tlusty, Kulemin and Grabovski in the category of guys all but assured a spot come the season opener in Detroit. Training camp is going to take on a whole new meaning for Leaf forwards this year. With Cliff Fletcher's recent admission that Nik Antropov is his team's only legitimate top-six forward, you can be sure that young players like Steen, Stajan, Tlusty, Kulemin and Grabovski all have a chance at earning top 6 roles and being an important part of the Leafs offence. With that one simple statement Cliff has created a competition for spots unlike anything we have seen in recent history with the Leafs. Everyone will be given an honest look and it seems like priority ice time will not just be handed to veterans like Jason Blake or Nik Hagman as it may have been in the past, it will be earned by anyone who is going to work hard enough.

It is a make or break situation for a couple of Leafs forwards, as I see it Alexi Ponikarovsky and Mark Bell will be duking it out for one spot on the Leafs roster this camp. They are middle of the road guys who play a similar up and down game and you can be sure with players with an actual future on this team fighting for roster spots, both these guys won't be on the team. If Bell even just matches the play of Ponikarovsky this pre-season I believe there is a good chance Ponikarovsky will be traded. While Ponikarovsky provides a big body presence he's only ever been able to put up points on Mats Sundin's wing, it would be in the Leafs best interest to trade him now before other teams realize the top 6 potential he showed in the past was just the results of another Mats Sundin charity project. Mark Bell's physicality will be more useful to the Leafs in the 3rd line role that the two will likely be battling for. Ponikarovsky also has trade value while you couldn't pay someone to take Bell. If Cliff is looking to get back some of the picks he's traded away this summer, trading Ponikarovsky would be an efficient place to start.


With an outside chance to make this team I think you'll see John Mitchell and Jeremy Williams slip past the first cut and make it into some exhibition games. You gotta believe this is the last opportunity for Williams who finished the season with the Leafs last season. In staying with the Leafs til the end last year Williams was ineligible to compete in the AHL playoffs indicating the organization believes it is time for Williams to take the next step if he's ever going to do it. If he doesn't make this team it is likely the end of the line for him in Toronto. Mitchell is a guy who finally stepped up last season and in the AHL playoffs. He plays a fairly gritty two way game and will be looking to build on last years success with the Marlies. He has some people on his side within the Leafs organization and will definitely get a look. Ultimately I believe these two guys will fall short of making the team but they should have the opportunity to make the team.

Earl and Boyce are perhaps in the same category as Mitchell and Williams, they are of similar age and both had an opportunity with the Leafs last season but they haven't been around as long as the other two and are perhaps a bit earlier in their development and the pressure to make the team is not as great. They may get a look with the Leafs this season, but I'd consider them longshots to make the team.

I believe the Newbury and Ondrus era has all but come to the close and their names will fall in line with past part-time Leaf grinders like Josh Holden, Aaron Gavey and Bates Battaglia(who you notice I have not listed in any of my categories.)

The final category to look out for is the rookies, 2008 Leaf draftees up front Joel Champagne and Mikhail Stefanovich look to make an impression up front in their first NHL training camp. 2007 Leaf pick Dale Mitchell, looks to gain more experience after signing an entry level contract last spring and competing with the Marlies in the playoffs. Don't expect him to make the team though as a 19 year old. In a similar boat is Chris DiDomenico, another Toronto naitive looking to build off a strong rookie camp and get a taste of pro hockey. Look for him to continue his development in Saint John this season and possibly win some hardware in the Q. Look for guys like Stefano Giliati, Eric Wellwood, Kyle Rogers, and Greg Scott to try and convince the Leaf brass they are legitimate prospects and deserve a further look but they will likely be cut on Sunday or early Monday morning.

Most interesting forward to watch: Nikolai Kulemin- Could have an impact anywhere from line 1-3

Left Wing - Centre ---- Right Wing
Tlusty ------ Antropov --- Blake
Hagman --- Grabovski -- Kulemin
Bell --------- Stajan ------ Steen
Hollweg ---- Moore ------ Mayers
Devereaux

Tomorrow we'll tackle the crowding on defence.