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.

May 21, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Toronto Maple Leafs new head coach Craig Berube speaks during an introductory media conference while seated beside general manager Brad Treliving (center) and team president Brendan Shanahan at Ford Performance Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

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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.

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