Toronto Maple Leafs Weaknesses to Address at Trade Deadline

The Toronto Maple Leafs are legitimate Stanley Cup Contenders.

Heading into the NHL’s Trade Deadline, a week from today, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to address some of their weaknesses in order to further solidify their contender status.

The only problem is that unless they are willing to push the Matthews and Marner bonus overages to next season (Entry Level Contracts have a base salary, but potential bonus payments have a cap hit) the Leafs don’t have much, if any, cap space.

Potential trouble shooting of this problem includes finding a taker for Nathan Horton’s $5 + cap hit, moving Nikita Zaitsev ($4.5), Ron Hainsey ($3) or Connor Brown ($2.1) or assuming miracles are possible, Patrick Marleau ($6.25).

The likelihood of moving Marleau is essentially zero, and I’d put Horton at 5%, but the rest are possible, especially since Kyle Dubas appears to be some sort of magical wizard.

Team Weaknesses

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 5th worst in shot-attempts against per 60 minutes of 5v5 ice-time, and they are 4th worst in shots against per 60 minutes of ice-time.

These are their two main weaknesses.

They are caused by not having a good partner for their top pairing defenseman, and by not having a top echelon defensive winger in their lineup.

Internally, they can help address this weakness by getting Auston Matthews proper linemates (Johnsson and Nylander) , as will reducing the amount Ron Hainsey plays, and increasing the amount Jake Muzzin plays as he gets worked into the lineup.

But the Leafs still need to go outside the organization for help.

Seeking Help

The Toronto Maple Leafs must address their shots-against by adding one elite defensive forward.  Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Jacob Silfverberg is someone who can play left wing, who is assumed to be available, and who is an elite defensive forward.

Getting Silfverberg would help limit shots against, push Hyman down to a more acceptable third line role, and help on the PK.  This is a no-brainer, unless the Leafs feel he absolutely cannot play left wing. (He shoots right and is a right winger by trade).

A better option might be the Coyotes Richard Panik, an ex-Leaf.  Panick is a very good defensive player, and although he too is a right winger, he at least shoots left.  He would be the Leafs best defensive forward, and could easily play minutes currently going to Hyman, Brown or Marleau.

I personally think the team’s lack of grit is overblown, and Muzzin makes up for that quite a bit anyways. Still, I’ve long been an advocate of adding Radko Gudas, as he hits but is also a good player.

I think this would address the grit thing and the right-defenseman thing in equal measure, so it should be a priority.

As for power forward, I’m far more inclined to chase a defensive specialist rather than a guy who can hit and score garbage goals.  The Leafs offense is the best in the NHL, and so trading for an offensive winger just because he hits isn’t really going to do anything.

Wayne Simmonds doesn’t play defense, Michael Ferland isn’t getting traded (Carolina is back in the race) and Chris Krieder costs you Kapanen and that’s a loss.  There is no reason for the Leafs to chase a power forward.

Right defense, and a defensive winger.  Those are their weaknesses.   Perhaps a fourth line centre (Brad Richards) who can score a bit more than Gauthier would be in order, but I think I’m fine with Old Freddie at this point.

To sum up: the Toronto Maple Leafs main weakness is that they allow too many shots.  This can be addressed with a defensive specialist on forward, and a partner for Morgan Rielly on defense.

cap info from capfriendly.com

stats by naturalstattrick.com