Up for Grabs

There are likely only two open spots among forwards for the Toronto Maple Leafs this fall. One of these is the role of the fourth line center, sure to be an epic battle between replacement level players such as Darryl Boyce and Philippe Dupuis. The other position battle will be for a wing spot on the third line. And this one could get interesting.

Last fall, Luca Caputi probably would have made the roster out of camp had he not been waiver exempt. He then proceeded to miss almost the entire season due to a hip injury. He should be healthy this fall and will get another chance to prove his worth. Marcel Mueller is one of two German imports in the Leafs organization, and had an up and down season at the Ricoh. But he proved he can play with the big boys, producing 33 points in 57 games in his first season in North America. Matt Frattin was the runner-up for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award in the NCAA last year, leading the nation in goals. Make no mistake, Frattin has the tools to be an NHLer. His skating is solid and he has a good, if not great shot. In his cup of coffee in April, he led the team in shots and looked like he belonged. Brian Burke even went so far as to suggest Frattin could skip the AHL altogether. Finally, the Leafs top pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, Nazem Kadri, will be looking to hold down a spot he earned mid-way through last season. Kadri was nearly a point per game player in the AHL; impressive numbers in a tough league. He looked a little less comfortable at the highest level, although improvements to his skating this summer would go along way to erasing those issues. Kadri is likely the favorite to win the roster spot, at least on paper.

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So who winds up with the Leafs to start the year and escapes the Ricoh?