With the top two right wing spots on the Leafs sewn up, the third and fourth grow in importance in training camp and preseason. The third-line job was definitely Connor Brown’s last season, once Mitch Marner stopped playing with Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk on what was a very atypical third line. Is it automatically his this year?
Given the way Brown performed on the Bozak line — contrary to many assumptions, their results did not degrade with the loss of Marner — it sure seems like it’s his to lose.