Shore is going to be on the team I'd wager. He's a terrific faceoff guy and plays good defence. Spezza is as good as gone.

Cool, but how do they make space for Hyman?

I like keeping Spezza over Shore for a few reasons.
1) I think he's a better voice in the locker-room, having a veteran presence with lots of playoff and regular-season experience with this young team can be good.
2) Some of the benefits of Shore - faceoffs and checking can be covered by Spezza
3) If we look at Shore are better PK option than Spezza let's look at everyone else in the leafs forwards who would receive PK time before Spezza. 1) Marner 2) Kapanen 3) Moore 4) Hyman 5) Mikheyev 6) Goat. I think Spezza is just FINE as the leafs 7th forward PK option and will get better with more reps.
4) Spezza slots in further up the lineup in case of injury better than Shore does.
5) Finally and this is purely sentimental - Babcock has been an asshole to Spezza and Spezza has been a good soldier and worked hard and kept his head up for the sake of the team. I also think he's a fundamentally decent guy and deserves better.

Spezza had the best FO% in the LEAGUE last year and is still at 50% right now. Sure Shore is at 60% right now but I would put my money on the vet who has a career FO% of 53% to stay more consistent on the season than Shore. I think shore is good but I think he's hot in the dot right now and it's more likely that his 60% comes back down to earth rather than sticking in the 60% area.

Regarding defence the games that Spezza subbed into the Shore role with GOAT they were effective and transitioned the puck out of the zone well and Spezza has been working and forechecking hard in the games he's played.

Also with Hyman back the 4th line should undisputedly be Timashov-GOAT-Moore and Spezza is more versatile than Shore to keep as the 21st man. Spezza has the vision, skill and shot to play on a line with any of the Leafs top forwards in an injury situation. I don't trust that Shore has that.

The other option that is likely is sending Timashov back down and keeping the GOAT-Shore combo together and then Spezza as the spare.

Timashov has been nice and I like Spezza, but having the PK depth and FO prowess of Shore (Who's career FO% is above 50 as well) is more important than having a little bit more offense. I haven't really like Spezza so far, he's very slow. Very good hand eye still but he's behind the play a lot. Shore is a much better skater and can kill penalties.

You did mention something that I see as a problem with the PK, Babs loves having speedy wingers killing penalties and that has killed them at times. Not having a players good at winning faceoffs, take faceoffs when you are down a man is just not wise. Why not have Gauthier, Shore and even Tavares on there to win draws and then get off. Its just stupid.

Babcock does do that the last 5 games I've noticed Goat hitting the ice with the PK to take the draw and then heading for the bench. Tavares used to do this I held him off my list for now as his finger fully heals and gets him back to 100%.

I agree with what you say about the virtues of Shore. I think sending Timashov down makes more sense honestly. Although I do think Shore's FO% is going to come down. I trust in Spezza's longer career and experience in that department.

The main reason why I like Spezza is that he is a more versatile substatute than Shore or Timashov within the lineup and I think has earned a spot as the Leafs 21st man.

So maybe bumping Timashov is the better choice.

Who knows and to be honest, none of it really matters, its just minor stuff that gets blown up in the TO market.

Send down a few players to the AHL