Did the Toronto Maple Leafs meet their summer goals?
By James Tanner
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had one of the quiestest, lamest, most useless summers I can ever remember them having.
The Toronto Maple Leafs "big signing" was a 34 year old defensive defenseman, which is the favorite hockey team equivalent of getting socks for Christmas. Tanev might help, assuming he doesn't rapidly go into an age related spiral of decline and avoids injury, but it wasn't exactly the piece fans were hoping for.
Instead of getting a top goalie to pair with Auston Matthews - which is literally the most basic recipe for success - the Leafs overthought it and put togetgher a tandom in which neither player has played over 40 games - in any league - for the last eight seasons.
It was an extremely frustrating summer because we know that unless the Leafs get very lucky this team won't accomplish anything as constructed.
Did the Toronto Maple Leafs meet their summer goals?
A month ago, on July 31st, we put together a list of things the Leafs had to accomplish for the rest of the summer.
So, how did they do?
1. Trade Kampf, Reaves, Timmins and Jarnkrok for Cap Space
These players combined for over $7 million dollars which is some of the least valuable spending in the entire NHL. The Leafs could add another star player with what they are playing these four sub-replacement players.
Not a single one of these guys should ever play a game with the Leafs again, and if the team had competent management, they would already be gone.
2. Sign Mitch Marner
This shouldn't be hard since he has a full no movement clause in his contract and can't be traded. The Leafs can't walk him to free-agency and they can't afford to ruin the season by having him as an un-signed distraction for six months.
Since they are out of options, how long can this seriously take? It's embarassing that it's not done yet.
3. Trade for a star centre or announce Marner is playing centre
Obviously neither of these things have happened, which is a shame because Max Domi, Pontus Holmber and David Kampf are all extremely bad third-line centre options. The correct move is to have Domi with Matthews, Marner centering Nylander and Tavares at 3C.
Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs had three things to do, and they did nothing. Since I wrote that article, the only thing the Leafs did was make Auston Matthews the captain, which, seriously, who cares?
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At this point, I just hope Keith Pelley hates wasting Auston Matthews Prime as much as I do.