Checking In on Our Pre-Off-Season Toronto Maple Leafs Checklist of Goals
Before the draft and free-agency, we established four things the Leafs needed to do.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not, in my opinion, had a very good summer.
I do like that the Toronto Maple Leafs went with a more puck-moving blue-line, but I don't think they went far enough in that direction (three of their six assumed starters are terrible puck-movers) and I think they got way too risky with their additions.
What I hate most of all is the lack of clarity on the Mitch Marner situation. The Leafs could do everyone a big favor and call a press conference to let us know they won't trade Marner and are working to re-sign him.
Personally, I think the Leafs are lucky to have Marner and the idea of trading him is just about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Hearing people who should know better talk about losing a trade on purpose is driving me nuts, not because they disagree with me, but because I think they're really ungrateful.
You don't just get to whine because you don't get the exact results you want. Winning is hard and it matters precisely because of how hard it is. Sure we all want the Leafs to win, but the entitledness and the whining is a bit much.
A lot much, actually.
However, rant over. The reason I am here today is to discuss the Leafs offseason as it compares to the goals I laid out before the draft.
Checking In on Our Pre-Off-Season Toronto Maple Leafs Checklist of Goals
1. Trade for a Goalie.
Status: Failed.
While I hold out hope the Leafs might surprise us with an Ilya Sorokin for Woll and picks trade, the far more likely outcome is that the Leafs try to win a cup with Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz.
I think this is a mistake because it's Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner's prime and they should be more cognizant of that.
To my mind, the only thing the Leafs haven't tried during Auston Matthews' career so far is pairing him with an elite goalie, and so I thought that should have been their top priority.
Since they clearly had interest in both Markstrom and Saros, I think they agreed, but just couldn't work it out.
If Matthews wasn't in his prime, I'd be a lot more comfortable trying Woll, who I think can be really good, but whose injury history and experience is a concern.
2. Sign Nikita Zadorov
Status: Failed
Though he's really been nothing more than a bottom-pairing defender so far, Zadorov seemed to take a huge step this past year when he shut down Connor McDavid in the playoffs.
He's a 6'7 monster who is great at breaking up rushes and good at joining them. I think he could be a late-blooming #1 and I wanted the Leafs to take the gamble.
They didn't, and the bet they did make - OEL for $1.5 million and two years less - is so much worse because it has almost no upside.
Six years for Zadorov at $5 million - which is what TJ Brodie was making - is a perfectly reasonable bet and I with the Leafs made it.
3. Resolve Mitch Marner Situation
Status: Pending, but so far, Failed
Mitch Marner has not been re-signed or traded. The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't talking and no one knows what's happening.
On the bright side, they haven't yet made an instantly regrettable trade.
More negative, they seem frozen in place and unsure of what to do. How this gets resolved will go a long way in deciding if the Leafs are a contender or not next year.
The Leafs seem to be going with the Columbia House decision making stategy: To contend, simply do nothing and the selection of the month will arrive in the mail. If you do not want to contend, simply mark an X in the box on the card provided and mail it back before the end of the summer.
4. Get Rid of David Kampf and Ryan Reaves
Status: Pending
These two fourth liners who lose their minutes combine to make almost $5 million dollars. It's the worst use of cap-space on the team, and some of the worst in th league.
As has been established beyond any shadow of doubt, Ryan Reaves is no longer an NHL player and David Kampf is useless without Pierre Engvall.
The Leafs should pay to get rid of these guys if they have to, but what they can't do is return next season with either player in the fold.
Final Analysis
The Toronto Maple Leafs off-season plan is going poorly. They did not get the goalie they needed, they did not get the defenseman they needed, they have not resolved the Mitch Marner situation and they still have the dead weight on their roster.
That's oh-for-four, but all is not lost.
If healthy, the Leafs are going to be one of the best teams in the NHL next year. Most of their direct competition failed to improve and the Leafs actually did improve - they just did so in a risky fashion of high contracts and odd choices.
If Domi blossoms with Matthews, if Woll stays healthy and Tanev stays healthy, and Knies takes a step and the Core 4 all stays healthy and Tavares and Rielly avoid decline, this team will be great.
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Just a lot more ifs than I think are necessary if they had of picked up Saros and Zadorov.