Twelve months later, the same could be said of the 2016-17 squad, with many new faces arriving, including five rookies. From the 2015-16 starting roster, six veteran players have departed Toronto, while William Nylander, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown and Josh Leivo are now with the Maple Leafs.
Success for the Marlies is measured on a different barometer under the current management regime, with player development now front and center. At the same time, the expectation, from the management to the fans, is that Toronto will contend again in 2016-17.
Forwards
One of the Marlies biggest strengths in 2015-16 resided at the center position, but the absence of dominant forwards William Nylander and Mark Arcobello now leaves a huge hole to fill.