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Roster Changes Pay Off: The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Better in 2022

By Mike Jack

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 22: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a second-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 22: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a second-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – MAY 22: Head coach Sheldon Keefe of the Toronto Maple Leafs  . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

The Toronto Maple Leafs made some roster moves during the offseason that left some fans in a state of disarray.  Did the team get better or worse over the offseason?

With the sting of another first round loss fresh in our hearts, it was difficult to see anything positive about losing fan favourites like Zach Hyman and Freddie Andersen for nothing in free agency.  If the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to progress, they needed to keep their stars and add more, right?

Until now, it was too early to know.  The new additions needed a chance to show what they’ve got, but now that we’ve reached the halfway mark of the season, we have a better understating of what the new guys can bring to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Here’s a comparison of the key roster additions and subtractions the Toronto Maple Leafs have made this season:

Toronto Maple Leafs 2021-22 Roster vs 2020-21 Roster at Mid-Season

I’m going to be looking at last season’s Toronto Maple Leafs roster before the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline and comparing it with this season’s roster so far assuming that everyone on both rosters are healthy and available.

I’m not including players acquired after the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, because this season’s trade deadline hasn’t happened yet and post-deadline rosters are a totally different beast mainly because of how the cap can be manipulated.

As a reminder, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Nick Foligno, Riley Nash, Ben Hutton and David Rittich around last season’s trade deadline.  They were acquired as rental players for the playoffs and none of them were expected to re-sign in the offseason.

Though none of them really made much of an impact anyway except for Foligno, the Leafs will most likely make more moves at this season’s trade deadline to bolster their roster again for the playoffs.

I’m also not including any analysis on non-roster players or depth players that only filled in for injured players. (stats from sportsnet.ca)

Let’s start with a look at the changes in the Toronto Maple Leafs crease:

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