The Toronto Maple Leafs lost once again in the first round of the playoffs.
Surprisingly, the Toronto Maple Leafs have actually seen reason, and they are going to leave their management team and coach alone and let them continue to do their jobs.
I was afraid that the loss to Tampa would cause a bloodletting that was both unnecessary and performative, but I’m proud to say the team I cheer for is reasonable and smart and won’t be doing anything to appease the trolls.
That said, anyone who thinks this team is going to come back without major changes is kidding themselves.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need a goalie, they need to revamp their roster to get around the salary cap, and they’ve got to move out some deadwood while bringing in some fresh perspectives and talent. Not to mention making room for some prospects who are ready to be everyday players.
So while the team isn’t going to trade William Nylander or Mitch Marner, and while they won’t be making any high-profile management or coaching changes, the team is going to look very different come September.
Here are four possibly out-of-the-box ideas I have about making that work.