It’s unclear what’s left in 41-year-old Joe Thornton‘s tank, but what’s crystal clear is that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will get more options when setting his lineup next season.
Here are four different ways the Maple Leafs could set their forward lines next campaign, assuming general manager Kyle Dubas is done adding forwards this offseason. For these projections, we’ve rotated Robertson, Vesey, and Barabanov in and out of the lineup. Pierre Engvall, meanwhile, was omitted because his $1.25-million cap hit may be tough to manage.
Option 1: Stacked top 6
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Alexander Kerfoot
John Tavares
William Nylander
Nick Robertson
Joe Thornton
Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
Before adding Thornton, the Leafs would’ve needed Kerfoot to play center. Opinions are mixed regarding whether he’s best suited to be a center or a winger. But Kerfoot struggled during his first season in Toronto, which was spent primarily playing down the middle. Some of his best success came as a winger with the Avalanche in a complementary role on the club’s top lines, so we’ve placed him on the left side with Tavares and Nylander.
The 19-year-old Robertson, meanwhile, flanks Thronton after leading the OHL in goals last year. Mikheyev, who was a hound on the puck last season before suffering a wrist laceration and being quiet in the playoffs, joins them. The finisher and puck retriever could nicely complement Thornton’s playmaking ability.
Option 2: Depth down the middle
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
LW
C
RW
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Ilya Mikheyev
John Tavares
William Nylander
Jimmy Vesey
Alexander Kerfoot
Wayne Simmonds
Alexander Barabanov
Joe Thornton
Jason Spezza
There’s a real chance Thornton can no longer play top-nine minutes and must be sheltered on the fourth line. That would force Kerfoot back to center. We’ve bumped Vesey – Kerfoot’s former college teammate at Harvard – up to the third line in hopes of recreating their old chemistry.
Putting Spezza and Thornton on the same line may not be ideal because they both lack quickness, but flipping Spezza and Simmonds doesn’t entirely fix that problem. We’ve also inserted Barabanov for Robertson in this scenario to provide a different look.
Option 3: Balanced attack
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
Alexander Kerfoot
Auston Matthews
Zach Hyman
Ilya Mikheyev
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
Nick Robertson
Joe Thornton
William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
The previous two lineups are awfully top-heavy, which was part of Toronto’s issues in 2019-20. In this lineup, we’re banking on Matthews to carry his own unit. As the league’s second-highest-paid center, he shouldn’t need the help of Marner or Nylander to be effective. Plus, a workhorse in Hyman is there for support, alongside a capable playmaker in Kerfoot.
The third line sees the biggest change in this lineup. Nylander, an elite play-driver and zone-entry specialist, would put Thornton in the best position to succeed. A 30-goal scorer this past season, Nylander would benefit from Thornton’s playmaking skills, too. As would Robertson, of course.
Option 4: Let’s get weird
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
LW
C
RW
John Tavares
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Zach Hyman
Joe Thornton
William Nylander
Alexander Barabanov
Alexander Kerfoot
Ilya Mikheyev
Jimmy Vesey
Jason Spezza
Wayne Simmonds
This isn’t a realistic or viable lineup to use over an extended period. It’s more of an in-game desperation option for Keefe if the team is trailing and he needs to create a spark.
Toronto ran out it’s $33.5-million line toward the end of its qualifying-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after the club’s offense dried up. The trio displayed flashes of brilliance, but the line should really only be used in spurts.
It probably isn’t best to give Thornton second-line minutes over a long span, but Hyman and Nylander are there to provide ample support. However, that leaves the bottom six looking quite bleak. Putting Kerfoot between Barabanov and Mikheyev could create a makeshift checking line, though.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
