The reality of the Toronto Maple Leafs coming salary cap crunch this summer will manifest itself in a number of different ways, but one certain avenue will be the promotion of young prospects making lower salaries on entry-level contracts currently playing in the American Hockey League with the Toronto Marlies.
Promoting from within has provided the Leafs with quality depth to surround or support their core group of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly, with Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson scoring 20 goals and Travis Dermott seeing an increasingly important role on the Toronto blueline.
With the potential departure of Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey, the salary concerns with Mitch Marner, Kapanen and Johnsson coming up for new contracts and the possibility that William Nylander or Nazem Kadri could be moved in exchange for defensive help, a number of Marlies currently playing in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs will be in the mix for spots on the Leafs at training camp next September.
Calle Rosen and Trevor Moore, who signed to contract extensions by the Leafs and were called up to the NHL during the season, are considered near shoo-ins to start next season on Toronto’s 23-man roster, but there also five other players who have yet to make their NHL debut that could break through in 2019-20.
On defense, 2017 and 2018 top picks Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin have made significant progress and might have an opportunity with Toronto looking to restock their blueline. In Game 1 against the Cleveland Monsters on Wednesday, Liljegren lost defense partner Rosen early in the game and saw an increased role with Sheldon Keefe down to five blueliners. Being a right-hand shot and having completed two AHL seasons, the 20-year-old may have a good chance to earn a spot with the Leafs weak right side.
Sandin was extremely impressive in his first professional season with the Marlies, scoring 28 points (6 goals, 22 assists) in 44 regular season games. The 19-year-old showed great aptitude as a power play quarterback with three assists in the second period of Game 2 against the Monsters and displayed an innate sense of knowing the right place to be on the ice at all times.
The Leafs instinct may be to be patient with the youngster and keep him in the AHL for at least the first half of next season, but if he keeps exceeding expectations, it is not a stretch to think he could work his way into their opening night lineup.
Up front, Toronto has a trio of players who could make their way onto the NHL roster, but it will depend on how things break in the summer.
Winger Jeremy Bracco may be ready to make the jump offensively, but the 22-year-old still needs to work on his awareness at the defensive end of the ice. After finishing second in the AHL in scoring with 79 points (22 goals, 57 assists), the Long Island native is leading Toronto with eight points in four playoff games, including four assists in the 5-2 victory in Game 1.
Bracco's ascendence to the Leafs is wholly dependent on what they do in the summer with their stacked right side. If it is necessary for GM Kyle Dubas to move either William Nylander or Kasperi Kapanen to open up cap space in order to re-sign Mitch Marner, a suitable replacement making less than $900,000 in the final year of his entry-level contract might be a good fit.
Mason Marchment scored 25 points and may have been considered for a late season call up with the Leafs desperate need for size and sandpaper had he not been injured in February and missed two months.
Pierre Engvall was a late-season addition and played on the Marlies checking line during the playoffs last season, but showed growth offensively with 19 goals. The 6'5", 214 lb forward is a very good skater and his stock rose after being shifted to center because of a rash of injuries.
With Tyler Ennis possibly looking for more than the Leafs would be willing to pay him on a new deal, Connor Brown being a potential cap casualty, and Frederik Gauthier being largely ineffective as a fourth-line center, Marchment and Engvall have be considered candidates for a bottom-six role with the Leafs.
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