A few weeks ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were in one of the worst spots in the entire NHL. Coming off of their worst regular season since 2015-16, facing uncertainty with franchise player Auston Matthews, and having some of the weakest asset pools in the entire NHL, things were looking nothing but dark for the Leafs.
However, the luck of the NHL Draft Lottery awarded the Maple Leafs the #1 overall selection in this years draft, giving them something they had little-to-no of all season. Hope.
With an overhauled front office, the new-look Leafs now look to flip the script and make it back to the playoffs next season.
Here's their biggest need this off-season if they hope to make it back to the postseason and compete for a Stanley Cup.
Maple Leafs can't ignore their problem on the blue line
To no one's surprise, it's defensemen. Multiple of them. Ideally puck-movers with some upside.
The Leafs goaltending (despite a rough season last year) has been a strength in the past, and the emergence of Denis Hildeby has given them some of the best goalie depth in the league.
Their forward group, now likely bolstered by either Gaving McKenna or Ivar Stenberg, still looks very solid. It's far from perfect, but still features Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, and the continued emergence of Easton Cowan. It may have flaws, but finding some depth forwards in free agency or through internal development is a welcome task.
The key issue, as it's been for years, is the defense group.
The Leafs have lacked a true #1 defenseman for the entirety of the "Auston Matthews era", outside of one great 2018-19 season from Morgan Rielly.
The current Leafs d-group still features some strong players. Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Chris Tanev, and Brandon Carlo are all still good players, but nowhere near a #1 on a Cup-winning team.
The Leafs need to take a risk and make a splash for a true high-end defenseman this off-season.
Can upcoming free agent Darren Raddysh continue his scoring ways? Could the Leafs potentially poach Thomas Harley from the cap-strapped Dallas Stars? Could new GM John Chayka pick up a young puck-mover with potential, a la Brandt Clarke or Olen Zellweger?
There are multiple ways for the Leafs to fix this issue, but they'll need to make a big move on the back end if they want to come even close to winning a Stanley Cup.
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