Questions the Maple Leafs have Entering Training Camp
By James Tanner
The end of summer is nearly here, and while depressing, that also means the beginning of hockey season. The Toronto Maple Leafs, quiet since July 1st, came out of hibernation and made a couple small moves this week.
The Toronto Maple Leafs seemed to get back to work this week when they waived Alexei Marchenko and signed Martin Dzierkals to an AHL contract.
While nothing major, it did signal that the team was getting back to work. In the next six weeks leading up the season, here are your main questions facing the Maple Leafs.
Who is Going to Play Defense?
The Leafs three best players on defense right now are Gardiner, Rielly and Zaitsev, in that order. After that, it’s a pretty big drop-off, and the team is bereft of top four options.
Ron Hainsey was signed, but he’s average at best, is 36 and doubtful to be able to play top-four minutes on a playoff team. (People who site his role on the Penguins fail to mention that he was the Penguins fourth best defenseman after Maata, Domoulin and Schultz, and that the Penguins were one of the luckiest Cup Winners in recent memory, deserving in no way to get by the Capitals who absolutely dominated them in the second round).
It is even likely that incumbent Leafs D like Marincin and Carrick are superior to Hainsey in his age 36 season. Regardless, the Maple Leafs are clearly on the prowl for an upgrade on the back-end.
Babcock can talk all he wants about using Hainsey high in the lineup, but until I see this with my own eyes, I’ll consider it a political statement from a member of an organization trying to play down criticism of a widely panned signing.
Who is Going to Get Traded?
An NHL team needs only eight wingers. The Leafs have Hyman, Nylander, Marner, JVR, Komarov, Brown, Martin, Fehr, Kapanen, Marleau and Leivo.
By my count, that’s three extra NHL quality wingers.
So who gets traded and when?
What to do with Bozak
He’s a distant third behind Kadri and Matthews on the depth chart and has some of the worst defense an NHL centre could have and still play in the league. His replacement, William Nylander, is ready and waiting to take his position. The Maple Leafs could also use his $4 million cap-hit in a better spot than a position they are already strong in.
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So when does he get traded? It’s the biggest question facing the Leafs currently.
Connor Brown Contract
Despite being the Leafs fourth most prominent rookie last year, Brown still managed 20 goals. He remains without a contract and the reason for that could be that he’s on the trade block. Or it could be a contract dispute. Or it could be that everyone took the summer off. Or that the deal is done and other business has to be taken care of first. Or that the Toronto Maple Leafs are concentrating on a Nylander extension. Or that……..
Well you get the picture.
No one knows why Brown isn’t signed, but it’d be nice if he was. Those are the four main questions I think are facing the Leafs.