Thinking Back and Looking Forward to the New Toronto Maple Leafs Season

With opening night just days away, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are reflecting on the offseason and sharing their predictions for the 2019-20 run.

The days may be getting darker, but they’re about to be a lot more exciting. After a very long summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs open their season on October 2 at home against Ottawa.

Instead of breaking down that meeting, I thought this would be the perfect time to ask some Leafs fans where their heads are at. What offseason moves did they like or dislike? What are they most looking forward to? And of course, who, if anyone, deserves the C?

I know my answers, and I could surely use this space to drone on and on about how I miss Nazem Kadri, how interested I am to see how long Auston Matthews’ moustache will last, and how I personally don’t mind not having a captain for another year. But that’s just me, and I definitely don’t represent every Leafs fan out there.

So thanks to some friends and family, here is a general sense of how Leafs fans are feeling right now.

The Offseason Moves We Liked

Mitch Marner signed his contract on September 13 and ended everyone’s pain and suffering, especially the pre-teen kids who’d had enough of Marner Watch. More on this in the following section.

Back in July, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Nazem Kadri and Calle Rosen to the Colorado Avalanche for defenceman Tyson Barrie and centre Alexander Kerfoot. Barrie had 14 goals and 45 assists in 78 games last year and he’s the right-handed defenceman management and fans have been waiting for. Hopefully.

Kerfoot had 15 goals and 27 assists in 78 games with the Avalanche last year and he’s joined the Leafs as an actual third-line centreman, unlike Kadri who was pushed down a line with last year’s addition of John Tavares. Last year both Kerfoot and Kadri produced similar numbers on the third line, so the Leafs aren’t losing much in that area. A bonus, though, is Kerfoot’s 12 playoff games last season compared to Kadri’s two.

…And The Ones We Disliked

Mitch Marner signed his contract on September 13 and became the third Toronto Maple Leaf in the top seven highest-paid NHL players with an AAV of $10.893 million over six years. Whew, winded.

So yeah, people aren’t very happy about that. Nor are they happy about the AAV’s of Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Nylander taking up almost half of the team’s salary cap. I mean if it gets us a Stanley Cup, great. If not? Oh boy.

What We’re Looking Forward To This Season

William Nylander will get the chance to play a full season and redeem himself. Some Toronto Maple Leafs fans understand that he didn’t actually have the worst season last year, but his late signing did seem to throw him off and he didn’t look like the Nylander we know (and love). The 2019-20 season is his chance to get back on track and prove the haters wrong.

Secondly, defence. The Leafs blue line looks more solid than it did last year. Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Martin Marinčin and Rasmus Sandin are the big names surrounding the D at the moment – especially Marinčin and Sandin following their successful preseason. I think we’ll definitely be in a better place defensively this season than we were last year.

Who We Project As Captain

For the longest time, Auston Matthews has been linked to Toronto’s captaincy. He wants it, many fans want it, but an unfortunate incident back in May may have hindered his chance. The Toronto Maple Leafs, however, are packed with leadership.

Morgan Rielly and John Tavares are now the favourites. And based on what I’ve been told, what I’ve read, and my own personal opinion, Rielly is first choice. And why shouldn’t he be? He’s earned it. Last season he had 72 points in 82 games and was robbed not only of the Norris Trophy but of a nomination!

Plus, the amount of Captain Morgan commercials during Leafs games makes it so appropriate.

Well, that’s the intel I gathered. Heading into opening night, where do you stand with all of this?