Line-Up:
If the Leafs elected to go with an extended rebuild, the chance at winning a Stanley Cup might be pushed back a couple years, but the odds of it actually happening eventually would, I think, increase significantly. (Note: I am going to assume if they do this they’ll be more apt to bring back veteran leaders Bolyle and Hunwick).
Here is what their lineup might look like with their tradable assets removed:
Hyman – Matthews – Kapanen
Brown – Nylander – Leivo
Leipsic – Marner – Rychel
Martin – Boyle – Soshnikov (Bracco, Timashov, Johnson, Lindberg, Grunberg, Gauthier)
As you can see, that isn’t half bad anyway. Those who can’t thrive in the NHL, can be sent down and replaced, and the Leafs – even with moving Komarov, JVR, Kadri and Bozak – can still ice a pretty excellent group of forwards.
on defense:
Rielly – Zaitsev
Rosen – Carrick
Dermott – Hunwick
It’s naive to say that a team losing Kadri, Gardiner et. al. isn’t going to be effected, but this really isn’t a bad team. If you factor in what the return on those players will be, the Leafs could probably still make the Playoffs next year after doing it.