LeafsParadise.com

With the 2012-13 NHL season still weeks away we turn our thoughts to the Maple Leafs lineup. Unlike seasons past the competition for roster spots is bound to be furious, which means nothing is set in stone where the Maple Leafs’ roster is concerned. Up front the smart money suggests Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel will man the wings on the first line, while the battle to centre these two will be fierce. James van Riemsdyk and Mikhail Grabovski look to have the inside track on landing the first line minutes, while last years pivot Tyler Bozak is a long shot to get a repeat performance. With Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle and general manager Brian Burke looking for JVR to step up and grab the first line centre assignment there is a good chance he will be there either out of camp or at a later point in the season. As we discussed in an earlier column, using Mikhail Grabovski as the first line centre would seem like a good idea, especially when you consider JVR’s inexperienc...