While the Toronto Maple Leafs season may be over, three of the team’s young-guns, Andreas Johnsson, Travis Dermott and Kasperi Kapanen, aren’t done playing puck for the year.

Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello announced that Andreas Johnsson and Travis Dermott will join the Toronto Marlies for the duration of their Calder Cup playoff run, and that Kasperi Kapanen will suit up for Team Finland at this springs World Hockey Championships.

It’s no surprise that Johnsson and Dermott, who were each named AHL all-star’s this season, are Marlies-bound once again.

While both showed great promise in their limited action with the Leafs, the two youngsters are still AHL eligible, and could certainly benefit from a long Calder Cup run with the Marlies, as opposed to packing it in for the year.

Dermott suited up for 28 games with the Marlies and recorded 18 points, while primarily playing alongside Justin Holl. Throughout those 28 AHL games, it was apparent that Dermott was destined for a promotion, with his puck handling abilities and improved defensive instics becoming more apparent as each game passed.

On January 5th, he was recalled by the Leafs.

The 21-year-old defender made good of his opportunity (and he did so while only averaging 16 minutes of ice-time in the regular season, and 13 minutes in the post-season) and he’s all-but-certain to make the Leafs out of training camp next season.

To many, it’s almost a forgone conclusion that Johnsson will be a Leaf next year, as the team will likely bid adieu to James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov.  Johnsson, who the Leafs somehow landed in the 7th round of the 2013 draft, lead the Marlies in points per game this season, as he recorded 1.00 pt/pg through 54 games this season.

Johnsson was named the AHL’s player of the month for the month of February, and shortly after, was recalled by the Leafs. There’s no doubt that Johnsson, the Marlies best forward this past season, will return to playing a prominent role for Sheldon Keefe’s team.

With Johnsson and Dermott joining the Marlies, here’s what their optimal lineup for the remainder of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

(Spoiler: It’s really darn good).

Johnsson-Aaltonen-Moore

Timashov-Mueller-Grundstrom

Smith-Gauthier-Greening

Engvall-Brooks-Bracco

Dermott-Holl

Marincin-Liljegren

Borgman-Rosen

Sparks

Pickard

Even though Dermott and Johnsson are likely NHL-bound next season, having them in the AHL certainly benefits their game and their development. But in the case of Kasperi Kapanen, demoting him to the AHL once again, would be a one-step forward, two-steps back, type of move.

When Kapanen started the year out with the Marlies, it was evident he didn’t belong in the minor league’s and that he was of NHL calibre. Frankly, you could say the same thing about Kapanen last year, too. He skated circles around AHL opponents, he was an elite penalty killer, and it seemed to get to the point where the level of hockey was not a challenge for Kapanen.

After Kapanen’s recent stint with the Leafs, it’s clear that he’s not returning to the Marlies, either. But what separates him from Johnsson and Dermott is that Kapanen has played three full seasons with the Marlies, and he’s done practically everything he can at that level, and it makes sense for the team to prepare him for next season by assigning him to the World’s, to be challenged, as opposed to dominating the AHL, once again.