3 Toronto Maple Leafs New Years Resolutions for 2020

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Toronto Maple Leafs – Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

It’s the start of a new year and the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to make improvements. We have three New Years Resolutions for the team.

The year 2020 has just begun, which means so too have all the New Years resolutions.

Many people make them in order to better themselves. Some get abandoned almost immediately, but certainly, some get seen through to completion. We have compiled resolutions the help the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While it is easy to want and wish the best of the Buds, we remained realistic with our resolutions.

Here are three New Years resolutions we hope to see the Toronto Maple Leafs achieve.

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 07: Toronto Maple Leafs Goalie Michael Hutchinson (30) in warmups prior to the regular season NHL game between the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs on November 7, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Find a Consistent Backup Goaltender

The Maple Leafs have the luxury of having an excellent starting goalie in Frederik Andersen. He has been relied upon to carry the lion share of the load for Toronto because no one else has been trustworthy in the crease.

Michael Hutchinson won the backup position out of training camp this season beating out Michal Neuvirth who was on a PTO.

Brandon Halverson and Kasimir Kaskisuo were also in the running, but their odds were always far slimmer to win the role. Hutchinson ultimately earned the spot when Neuvirth went down with an injury during the preseason and essentially disqualified himself.

Hutchinson held the backup role until the Toronto Maple Leafs front office decided that his being winless just over a month into the season was all they could stand.

They pulled the plug on Hutchinson and placed him on waivers. In the same move, they recalled Kaskisuo from the Toronto Marlies in order to fill the vacated role.

The spot belonged to Kaskisuo for just one game. After coach Mike Babcock was fired and replaced by Sheldon Keefe, Kyle Dubas brought back Hutchinson. Though he still hasn’t played very well, Hutchinson has managed to pick up two wins.

Whether it remains Hutchinson or a new player finds their way between the pipes, we hope that consistency comes to the Leafs net. Andersen could really use some rest.

TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 28: Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during warm up before a game against the New York Rangers at the Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Shore up Contracts on the Blueline

At the end of this season, Kyle Dubas will have a big challenge ahead of him. That’s because other than Morgan Rielly, every member of the Leafs defense is set to become a free agent.

(Note: Since writing, but prior to publication, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Justin Holl to a contract extension).

The Leafs will have four unrestricted free agents unless contracts get signed before the conclusion of the season.

Those five UFAs are Cody Ceci, Jake Muzzin, Tyson Barrie, and Martin Marincin. They also have two restricted free agent blueliners, Travis Dermott and the man who has just been called up to make his NHL debut, Teemu Kivihalme.

Thanks to the multiple forwards’ giant contracts that eat a significant portion of the cap, it isn’t conceivable to retain everyone. Barrie is expected to pursue big money elsewhere and he will likely get it thanks to the value teams put on offensive defensemen.

Dubas can get some relief if their young non-roster players can earn a spot on the team. They are Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, Joseph Duszak, Mac Hollowell, and Jesper Lindgren.

There is also the chance that any one of Ben Harpur, Jordan Schmaltz, or Kevin Gravel who are all going to be free agents can be re-signed and make the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There is no doubt that it will be intriguing to see how Toronto manages to put together their d-men for the 2020-21 season. We hope that Dubas makes magic happen and maintains a talented blueline.

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 17: Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs battles with Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins during the third period during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on April 17, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Get Past the First Round

Playoffs have been a touchy subject for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite having talented teams, especially of late, they haven’t been able to get past the first round in far too long.

Toronto was eliminated both of the last couple of seasons in the opening round by the Boston Bruins. The year before that, it was the Washington Capitals who took them out in round one.

Perhaps the team should have just been happy to be playing in the postseason since in the eleven seasons before they hooked up with the Caps they had only made the playoffs once.

That was in 2013 when they famously melted down in the third period of Game 7 against the Bruins.

The last time the Leafs had a taste of the second round was in 2004. They lost the conference semi-finals that year to the Philadelphia Flyers. To put that into context, Sandin was just four years old then.

While we’d love to see the Leafs hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2020, at the very least we’d like them to remember what it’s like to play beyond the opening round.

Next. What Every Leafs Player Got for Christmas. dark

If there is just one resolution the Leafs fulfill this year, we hope it’s this one.

From our family at editorinleaf.com to yours, we wish you all a very happy New Year.

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