The Toronto Maple Leafs are pushing in all of their chips.
General manager Kyle Dubas paid a steep price to land Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno and exercised some serious creativity to entice Columbus into moving one of its longtime talents.
Dubas used the San Jose Sharks to significantly circumvent Foligno's expiring $5.5-million cap hit, which cost him an additional fourth-round pick on top of the first and fourth-rounder he dealt to Columbus. The Leafs' Stanley Cup window is wide-open, and the gritty veteran brings invaluable attributes that could put the Leafs over the top in the playoffs.
Foligno checks all the boxes for Leafs
Foligno's days as a dangerous offensive player are behind him, but the 33-year-old is a unique two-way skater who can slot into the lineup virtually anywhere. He's capable of filling all three forward positions, can play on both special teams units, and is still skilled enough to play alongside the Maple Leafs' high-flying talent.
The 6-foot-1 grinder has put together a strong body of defensive work in recent years. Foligno's done a terrific job of nullifying his opponent's attack by limiting shot attempts at five-on-five, according to Hockey Viz's isolated impact. (Red or positive is good on offense, while blue or negative is good on defense).
Foligno also brings 51 games of postseason experience, and the Leafs witnessed firsthand how his feisty game translates come playoff time. During last season's five-game series loss to the Blue Jackets, Toronto was outscored 4-0 at five-on-five with Foligno patrolling the ice.
Potential line combinations
Foligno gives the Leafs plenty of different looks, but before we dive in, it's worth mentioning the club will need to make some difficult decisions deeper down the lineup with a pair of extra bodies in the mix.
Recently acquired Riley Nash will also become an option once he's healthy, but it would be tough to see Wayne Simmonds or Joe Thornton draw out of the lineup. Alex Galchenyuk has earned his spot thus far, and Pierre Engvall has also established himself as a reliable depth player.
Option 1: Top-six buzzsaw
The Leafs could experiment by using Foligno in a Hyman-like role. Foligno may lack the offensive upside Hyman possesses, but he's an impactful forechecker and could play puck retriever alongside players with high-end talent like Tavares and Nylander. Icing two top units with a similar makeup would make the Leafs a nightmare to match up against.
Galchenyuk has brought a ton of energy since joining the club, and the chippy winger would complete an extremely fast trio alongside Kerfoot and Mikheyev in a bottom-six role. Envgall's speed on the fourth line is welcome and rounds out a nice look for the club.
Option 2: Put him with the big boys
It's unlikely Foligno gets extended top-line minutes, but why not let him take a spin with two of the NHL's top-five scoring leaders. Foligno's ability to play in the dirty areas could complement Matthews and Marner in the offensive zone, though he's not quite the passer Hyman is.
Another benefit here is dropping Hyman to the third line. The trio of Hyman, Engvall, and Mikheyev have dominated opponents with a 62.11% share of expected goals for over 91:10 at five-on-five, and having that kind of depth following the club's dynamic top six would be a coach's dream.
Option 3: Foligno up the middle
Foligno has played 14% of his shifts at center this season, and although he's likely better off on the wing, his defensive acumen and experience at the faceoff dot make him an option as a bottom-six pivot.
Plugging Foligno in as a third-line pivot allows the Leafs to roll with a top-six unit with proven chemistry and gives Spezza some well-deserved ice time. It may not be ideal to slot Kerfoot on the fourth line, but his speed would be beneficial in that spot and he also provides some scoring punch.
Option 4: Ultimate shutdown unit
Keeping Foligno up the middle here gives the Leafs a third line that would be an absolute headache to play against. Foligno's recorded 109 hits this season, and Hyman and Mikheyev rank one and two among Leafs forwards in that department, respectively. The potential shutdown trio would give the top six more favorable matchups as well.
Option 5: Let's get crazy
If the Leafs were ever in need of a spark, there really are no creative boundaries with Foligno in the mix. He gives them the ability to load the top line with talent without sacrificing deeper down the lineup.
The Leafs haven't played Nylander at center at all this season, and his defensive limitations do give room for pause. Foligno's presence could help cover up for some of Nylander's lapses, and Toronto could move Tavares to the top line as a result. The Leafs could also move Nylander up with Matthews and Marner instead, but the Swedish winger doesn't typically play on the left side.
