Top 3 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster Concerns for 2021-2022
By Andrew Kogut
![DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: General manager Kyle Dubas of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: General manager Kyle Dubas of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/16847fca4086b73b512858e616610b4b38280a2ba787e607556dfaa2690b2cdc.jpg)
Now all of this being said, the Toronto Maple Leafs do possess a strong top-four defense with some youth and potential in the bottom spots, solid goaltending with two potential starters and some truly elite forwards in their prime of their careers.
So maybe all they need is a few complementary players to plug some holes here and there and some quality depth competing for playing time in the bottom-six of the roster. And maybe Kerfoot, with a full-time position on the left of Tavares and Nylander, will fully blossom; their CF% and SF% as a line last year in 94+ minutes of ice-time were a sparkling 57.4 and 58.4, respectively.
And while the offseason may have been somewhat disappointing, if not anti-climactic, for most, it usually doesn’t take too long before a lot of those long-term free agent commitments turn into utter and complete regret.
But let’s face it; Toronto had a first-round matchup (and a 3-1 series lead) against a much worse Canadiens team that should have been a “slam-dunk” victory, resulting in more humiliation and a chorus of “chokers!” from onlookers everywhere.
Next. 2021 Forward Grades. dark
So Toronto could have signed Ovechkin, Landeskog, Grubauer, and Hamilton this offseason and even some of the most ardent Leafs fans would still shrug their shoulders and offer a ‘wait and see’ approach. And they wouldn’t be wrong. The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have to prove themselves in the playoffs before anyone truly starts believing the hype again.