Now that training camps are ready to start, it's time for the NHL's teams to round out their rosters. Many are doing this by welcoming their young stars-to-be into the fold - think Dion Phaneuf in Calgary, or Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in Philadelphia.

What's John Ferguson Jr. doing in Toronto? Signing bargain-basement washups. Ugh.

In the last two days, the Leafs have landed 33-year-old forward Mariusz Czerkawski and a former Minnesota captain (albeit for just a 2-month period), defenceman Brad Brown. Pat Quinn is even toying with the idea of putting Czerkawski on Mats Sundin's right wing, and TSN.ca lists Brown as 6th on the defensive depth chart. Mike Keane and Bryan Marchment have been invited to training camp, and Steve Thomas is practically begging to play for the Leafs, claiming he'll accept the league minimum salary or a two-way contract.

But what about the youngsters that have a legitimate chance at cracking the lineup this year? Carlo Colaiacovo and Staffan Kronwall could both have a solid rookie year on the blueline, with Ian White probably just one more AHL season away. Alex Steen and Kyle Wellwood could fit in at forward as well. Those two will have a better chance at cracking the lineup than the young defencemen, considering that they're vying for two open spots, with the contenders being Wade Belak, Chad Kilger, Clarke Wilm, and Nathan Perrott. Belak and Perrott are somewhat redundant when you consider that Tie Domi will be a regular, and there are other players in the lineup capable of being very nasty, such as Darcy Tucker, Jeff O'Neill, and Eric Lindros. On defence, however, the presence of Brad Brown blows my mind. He could simply be there to provide a little bit of experience for Colaiacovo and Kronwall, or even as a spare part like other forgettable acquisitions in the past, such as Greg Andrusak. When you consider that Marchment could very well return, or Belak may be moved to defence, it likely adds up to another disappointing year for Carlo Colaiacovo, who has more than paid his dues on the farm, and is being held hostage by Pat Quinn's apparent disdain for rookies.

With the losses of Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts, and Brian Leetch, the average age of the Maple Leafs plummeted dramatically, and was virtually unaffected by the other additions of this off-season. The rookies that have a chance to make the lineup, and therefore further help Toronto shake its reputation as the NHL's retirement destination, have been pushed aside, however, to make room for more experienced players. There could be tough breaks ahead for all those youngsters...but then, if they step up in training camp, the Leafs could once again experience a youth movement, the likes of which haven't been seen in close to ten years.