Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Domi, Lorentz, Joshua, Hiller & Training Camp Moves? – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs will head into training camp with an advantage they haven’t had enough of in recent years: competition for jobs. General manager John Chayka has spent the summer adding depth to the roster, and some returning players who might have felt comfortable with their role in the lineup will have to prove themselves all over again.

Max Domi, Steven Lorentz and Dakota Joshua are three forwards who should feel that pressure most. They aren’t necessarily fighting for the same job, but they will have to show new head coach Jim Hiller that they fit what the team is trying to become. This isn’t simply about putting the best collection of names on the ice. Hiller wants players who can handle their assignments and bring something useful to the lineup every night.

Max Domi May Have to Prove He Still Belongs in the Middle Six

Domi’s situation is the most interesting of the three because his versatility could either help him or work against him. He can play centre or wing, and that should give Hiller some options. But with Gavin McKenna, Jack Roslovic and others competing for top-nine minutes, there won’t be any easy spots available.

If Domi is healthy enough to play, he may even find himself competing for the right-wing job on Auston Matthews’ line, depending on how Hiller decides to use William Nylander. That’s a lot of uncertainty for a player who has spent the last few seasons trying to establish himself in Toronto.

His health is obviously part of the story. Domi underwent back surgery this offseason, and there were moments when there were legitimate questions about whether he would be ready for this season. The encouraging part is that he recently appeared healthy and mobile at his charity golf tournament. That’s not exactly a hockey test, of course, but it’s better than seeing him still looking limited. If Domi is healthy, the next question becomes what he can actually give the team.

If Hiller sees him as a potential third-line centre, Domi will have to improve in the faceoff circle after winning just 51 percent of his draws last season. And even that job won’t simply be handed to him. Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Roslovic all bring different qualities to that competition. Domi’s best chance will be to do what he has always done best: be useful in any situation. But this time, versatility alone may not be enough. He has to turn it into consistency.

Lorentz and Joshua Can’t Assume Their Bottom-Six Jobs Are Safe

The pressure is different for Lorentz and Joshua, but it’s still very real. Lorentz seems like a natural fit for the fourth line, particularly because he brings size, speed and physicality at a reasonable $1.3 million cap hit. He recorded 154 hits in 71 games last season, and that is the part of his game he can’t afford to lose. If Hiller wants his bottom six to be difficult to play against, Lorentz has a pretty obvious way to make himself valuable.

But Toronto has added enough depth that even fourth-line jobs aren’t guaranteed anymore. Brandon Duhaime and several other newcomers and prospects will be pushing for those minutes. Lorentz doesn’t have to become something he’s not. He simply has to be reliable at what he does. Play hard, kill penalties, get in on the forecheck, finish checks and chip in occasionally. That’s a pretty useful fourth-line package if he brings it every night.

Joshua might have even more to prove. He’s carrying a $3.2 million cap hit for the next two seasons and has a 12-team no-trade clause, which makes his contract difficult to move if his production doesn’t improve.

He had 10 goals and 18 points in 55 games last season, although his 195 hits showed that he was still willing to bring some physicality despite averaging only 12:14 of ice time. The problem was consistency. With more competition, Joshua can’t afford another season where his role and effectiveness come and go.

Training Camp May Tell Us What This Team Really Is

This is why the internal competition among Toronto’s forwards could be one of the most important parts of training camp. Chayka has given Hiller options, and now Hiller gets to decide which players actually fit the way he wants his team to play.

Domi, Lorentz and Joshua all have some versatility, which should help them. But it doesn’t guarantee anything. Domi needs to show he can stay healthy and become a more dependable two-way player. Lorentz needs to make his physical game impossible to overlook. Joshua needs to show that his contract won’t become an anchor.

For too long, the question around the bottom of the lineup has been who is available rather than who deserves to play. This year, there should be some real competition. If Hiller gets that part right, Toronto could end up with a bottom six that isn’t simply filling out the lineup but actually gives the team an identity. Training camp will tell us a lot about that.