3 Players Toronto Maple Leafs Should Not Re-Sign in Free Agency
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of questions regarding free agency this offseason.
When GM Brad Treliving took over the job last June, he wanted to get tougher and change the identity of the team. Fast-forward one year later and the team performed the exact same way it has during the Auston Matthews Era and nothing changed.
Were the Leafs a tougher team this year? I mean, maybe? They were near the top of the NHL in hits during the playoffs, but that statistic really mean anything?
For years, people valued hitting because everyone thought it meant you were tough to play against. However, in today's NHL, if you lead the league in hits, it just means you don't have the puck enough and you're probably not going to score enough goals to win.
The Leafs laid a lot of hits, but they scored only 12 goals. Perhaps trying to become a stereotypical playoff team isn't the way to go when you've put all your eggs in the same basket of offensively gifted players.
There's physical toughness and mental toughness and although their "physicality" technically improved this year, mentally they stayed the same.
Auston Matthews has the same amount of skill as Sidney Crosby, but Crosby is the greatest player of the past 20 years because of his mental toughness and unwillingness to lose. Crosby would never let his team lose in Game 7 six times in the last eight years, but that's unfortunately the mantra that Matthews has to live with.
As we look forward to the 2024-25 season, there are still a lot of positives about this bunch, but changes are necessary and it starts with not re-signing the following three players.
No. 1: Max Domi
I hate saying this because I like Domi and have been a fan of his for years, but if his last name wasn't Domi, would we really be valuing him the same way?
Domi finished the campaign with nine goals and 47 points, which is a respectable season, but we can do better.
The Leafs won Domi's minutes handily when he was on the ice, but they only played to a 50.62% Xgoals rating. This despite starting 60% of his shifts in the offensive zone and playing some very sheltered minutes for most of the season before Keefe put him with Matthews.
Another problem with Domi is that since he's so bad defensively, he makes it very hard for a coach to build a balanced lineup. If he can't play in the top-six (and for the vast majority of his career he has not been an effective top-six player) then he makes it so your third line absolutely cannot be a checking line in any way, shape or form.
A pass-only offensive winger who can't defend is just not easy to fit into the lineup, even if he is great at skating and passing, and is also a fairly feisty player.
Domi was brought to Toronto for the playoffs. His energy and demeanor was supposed to help lift this team to the Second Round, but instead, nothing changed. His stats for the seven game series against Boston are not bad, (4 points, 51% xG) but he took two very costly penalties, had a chance to step up and didn't.
He had some good sparring matches with Brad Marchand throughout the seven games, but ultimately, it was Marchand with the last laugh. Not only that, but Domi continued to cost this team throughout the series, as he always looked pass-first.
He had a few opportunities to shoot the puck and score, yet he always looked for the pass, ultimately finishing the series with one goal and three assists.
At $3M, for one season, Domi was worth the contract. He provided a fun storyline for the Leafs and I think a lot of fans thought he would shine in the playoffs. However, since nothing changed and Domi didn't perform to the degree that we hoped, I think it's time to move on. His last name is a distraction in Toronto and the team can find a cheaper alternative for third-line centre next year.
No. 2: Tyler Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi had a terrible start, but finished the year with 21 goals and 43 points, earning his $5.5M contract.
That amount was probably an overpayment, especially since Zach Hyman scored 53 goals this year, earning the same contract, but Bertuzzi was fine.
Unfortunately, fine just doesn't cut it and the team cannot afford to re-sign him.
$5.5M is a lot of money for a winger who was bad for 40 games and didn't live up to playoff expectations.
Similar to Domi, Bertuzzi was expected to earn his contract in the playoffs, but only finished with one goal and four points in seven games. ( all stats naturalstattrick.com).
After scoring five goals and 10 points in the 2023 playoffs with the Bruins, many expected a similar result from Bertuzzi this year, but that never happened and it cost the Leafs the series.
Similar to Domi, I do like a lot of what Bertuzzi brings, but at $5.5M, you can't bring him back.
If you were to bring Bertuzzi back, you would just be saying to the fans that everything is fine and that they just need another crack at it, and history will change.
No. 3: Ilya Samsonov
I've shared a ton of criticism about Ilya Samsonov over the past few years, but I have to give him credit.
He performed well enough for the Leafs to win Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, but the team in front of him, failed him.
Regardless, Samsonov cannot return to the Leafs.
Although his comeback story was impressive, Joseph Woll should be the team's number-one starting goalie next year and for the future. Injuries have been catching up to Woll, but he's worth the risk, especially because of his contract.
Currently on his Entry Level Contract, Woll can give the Leafs so much flexibility next year if he's the starter and as a result, Samsonov needs to go.
Like I mentioned before, Samsonov's comeback was great, but he was still one of the worst goalies in the NHL this year and doesn't really deserve another contract. He had a below .900 SV% and above 3.00 GAA, which should make the decision easy.
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There will be a team desperate enough to give Samsonov another shot next year, but it shouldn't be the Leafs, as they should run with Woll and sign/trade for a better goalie.