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Toronto Maple Leafs: Full line combination predictions for 2018-19

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 16: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs stands with his teammates before warm-up ahead of Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 16, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 16: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs stands with his teammates before warm-up ahead of Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 16, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 23: Connor Brown #28 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 23, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 23: Connor Brown #28 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on April 23, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Forwards: Line Four

Tyler Ennis-Pär Lindholm-Connor Brown/Kasperi Kapanen

As it stands, the Maple Leafs’ fourth line is something of a shot in the dark — albeit one that promises to serve as a source of excitement for fans of the organization.

As per Babcock, Swedish center Pär Lindholm is set to take over the No. 4 spot. The 26-year-old — who will turn 27 in October — was a driving force in the SHL during the 2017-18 campaign, wherein he tallied 47 points in 49 regular season games and 11 points in 16 playoff matchups. Whether Lindholm can translate success in Sweden into a form of prowess in North America is yet unclear, which leads some to believe that the Maple Leafs shall aim to acquire an additional piece down the middle in the event that he is not quite NHL-ready.

The club’s depth on its right side is almost as extensive as its options at center, which in turn prompts the belief that Brown and Kapanen will battle for minutes on the third line. Kapanen previously played alongside Kadri and Johnsson for snippets in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and his speed allowed the unit to act as a consistently deadly threat. That said, it would be a mistake to overlook the importance of Brown in relation to the structural dynamic of the team. Undoubtedly one of Babcock’s favorite assets to employ, look for Brown to flip between shutdown roles on the third and fourth lines, respectively.

Currently signed to a one-year, $650,000 deal, Tyler Ennis was acquired by the Maple Leafs just days after the infamous Tavares signing. Unexpectedly, he’s been relatively under-discussed among fans and pundits, but this has not stopped the 28-year-old from vocalizing his excitement for the upcoming challenge. “There is definitely frustration over the last couple of years,” Ennis remarked. “I have a chip on my shoulder and I want to prove a lot of people wrong. I think it builds character. It was refreshing to talk to Toronto and get a clean and clear outlook on things.”

It’s something of a questionable area in an otherwise robust lineup, but the Maple Leafs’ fourth line — as under-analyzed as it may be — is certainly worthy of closer examination as we near the outset of the regular season.

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