Toronto Maple Leafs: 10 Questions That Are on My Mind

When writing about the Toronto Maple Leafs, one always has questions to consider.

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I was staring at my screen thinking of topics and Googling questions until I realized that these questions haven’t been covered a whole lot.

I believe that they’re important questions and I honestly don’t have all the answers to them as you’ll soon realize.

But, I thought some of you might have some answers.

Of course, we all have our opinions, so please, speak up and I’ll be sure to get back to you on your comments.

I hope you enjoy.

Oh, side note to keep in mind.

None of these are in any order, just the first to come to my mind, so there’s not any number one question lingering on my mind, just the randomness that it produces.

Okay, now enjoy.

The Captaincy

Will Auston Matthews be the next captain of the Leafs?

I mean, you have to ask yourself this question when it seems so likely that he will be.

The NHL is trending on the side of younger captains.

Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid to name a couple.

Maybe Matthews is next, who knows?

I think he’s a leader and should be the Leafs next captain and first since the departure of Dion Phaneuf in early 2016.

Let’s say it is Matthews, then when?

If not him, then who?

The Backup

Who will be Frederik Andersen’s backup to start next season?

This one’s been on my mind for a while.

I liked how Curtis McElhinney performed after his acquisition, which I think should merit a resigning.

But, who knows what will happen.

The Leafs could go to free agency or find the answer internally.

Still, McElhinney did a good job.

Center Depth

Who will emerge as Toronto’s fourth line center?

I briefly touched on this yesterday by reiterating an idea from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun.

Brian Boyle proved he’s worth resigning, but he might fetch a pretty penny.

Okay, well the Leafs still have Frederik Gauthier and Eric Fehr in the system.

Both are injured with no apparent timeline on return, though.

So, a possible option outside of those three could be what Simmons suggested and I wrote about in Dominic Moore.

Trading

Will there be a trade for a top pairing shutdown defenseman this offseason?

Some of us want a big trade.

Others think it can be solved internally.

Personally, I want the Leafs to do whatever’s best long-term and I think most of you can agree with that.

If that means a trade comes up that makes sense, then pull the trigger.

But, if they’re confident in who’s already in the system, then tell us and we’ll put the conversation to rest.

For a little while.

I’ve already named quite a few guys, so sift through a few article of mine a little ways back to find them.

The Draft

Who will be the Leafs first selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft?

Not only have I suggested that the Leafs should draft a defenseman with their first pick in the draft, which is number 17 overall, but I’ve also given my top three selections.

From least to beast, here they are.

• Juuso Välimäki
• Callan Foote
• Timothy Liljegren

Right Winger

Who will be the regular next season, Nikita Soshnikov or Kasperi Kapanen?

Personally, I like Kapanen a lot more than I do Soshnikov.

And trust me, that’s no knock on Soshnikov.

I think he plays a really gritty game that I enjoy watching in players, but I just think that Kapanen’s play is better.

Matthews Left Side

Will Zach Hyman remain on the Matthews line?

I don’t toss and turn at nights with this question on my mind, but it has been a focal point sometimes.

I’ve changed my mind too many times regarding this question.

In the end, I think Hyman should stay on the Matthews line, but only if William Nylander is on the right side.

Matthews and Nylander have too much chemistry to be split up.

JVR Talk

Will James van Riemsdyk find himself on another team come puck drop in October?

Ultimately, if he can land the Leafs a Josh Manson or Chris Tanev in a favorable exchange, I would say, yes.

But, think about the fact that players with his combination of size, speed and skill don’t come around that often.

In the end, I’ll play my hand and say that he will.

Jack Adams

Will Mike Babcock win the Jack Adams?

Now that I’m reading the question on my screen I’m shaking my head as to why it’s even a question in the first place.

Yes, one hundred times, yes.

It’s unbelievable to me that the best hockey coach in the world hasn’t won this award yet.

Granted, the competition is pretty good this year, but it has to go to Babcock.