The Toronto Maple Leafs broke radio silence last week when they made Auston Matthews the first American Captain of the team in it's history.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had previously had about a month-and-a-half off, after a busy - but extremely disappointing Draft and Free-Agency Period.
When I say the Leafs work this summer was subpar, it's because their main addition was a 36 year-old injury prone defensive defenseman, and because they failed to make the significant chnages to their roster that they promised.
I was hopefully that the Leafs would add a top-of-the-lineup defenseman in his 20s and an elite goalie to pair with Auston Matthews for his prime. The team did neither, and they still need a 3rd line centre, which is what Treliving meant, I assume, when he went on the radio last week and said that his team wasn't done maneuvering.
Brad Treliving says the obvious: The Toronto Maple Leafs need to make more moves
Brad Treliving was on the Overdrive show on TSN last week where he said something I just assumed we all knew: the Leafs aren't done making moves.
When I heard this, my first though was "I should hope not."
The Leafs obviously are not a complete product because there is a massive hole in the middle of their lineup where a third-line centre should be. Currently, I guess Pontus Holmberg would be the leading candidate to fill that role, but that's ridiculous. Easton Cowan could win the job, I suppose, but it's more likely he breaks into the league as a winger. Fraser MInten's career potential might be third-line centre, so he's unlikely to make the team in that role.
Max Domi sometimes gets mentioned as a candidate but this makes me wonder if people who say that missed last season somehow. To recap: Domi is a horrendous centre who must be extremely sheltered to even have a chance at winning his minutes, which sends negative repercussions throughout the lineup. On the other hand, during a 200 minute run as Auston Matthews sidekick, he scord at a rate higher than Connor McDavid has ever scored over a full season.
Clearly Domi, Holmberg, Cowan and Minten are all incapable of being the Leafs third-line centre this year. That means they almost certainly have to trade for one, unless Mitch Marner is moved to centre, which, although it's a great idea, the team has shown absolutely no indication they will do such a thing.
That brings us to the other thing the Leafs have to do: resolve the Mitch Marner Situation. Maybe they sign him, make him the new 2C and move Tavares to 3C and then they don't have to make a trade.
Either way, Brad Treliving has a lot of work to do, and he still hasn't really made a significant trade since he's been the Leafs GM.