The Toronto Maple Leafs surpassed everyone's expectations in 2016-17. Not only did they qualify for the playoffs, but they took the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals to six games in the first round, with five of them needing overtime.
All this one year after the Leafs finished dead last in the league.
The Leafs have a legitimate chance to challenge for a Stanley Cup over the next few seasons before their young core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner get paid top dollar. This could arguably be the most important offseason in the history of the franchise.
Despite the rapid growth of this young team, there are still pressing issues that need to be taken care of this summer.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Acquire 3 defensemen
Easier said than done, but possible nonetheless.
One of these defensemen must be capable of logging top-four minutes, while the other two would need to be able to make up the third pairing.
Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, and Nikita Zaitsev are fully capable of making up 75 percent of the top four, but there's still one hole.
In an ideal world, this fourth defenseman is a right-handed shot, a stable presence, brings some much-needed size and physicality to the table, and fits the timeline with regard to the rest of the team.
The problem is, blue-liners like this are rare, and teams that have one that fits the description likely aren't willing to part ways with him.
Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba would be a perfect fit, though it would likely cost the Leafs one of Nylander or Marner - an avenue they probably don't want to take.
One team that may be open to trading a young defenseman that can play top-four minutes is the Carolina Hurricanes. Here's a look at their situation on the back end:
| Name | Age | Contract Status |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Faulk | 25 | $4.83M cap hit through 2019 |
| Noah Hanifin | 20 | RFA 2018 |
| Brett Pesce | 22 | RFA 2018 |
| Ryan Murphy | 24 | RFA 2018 |
| Klas Dahlbeck | 25 | RFA 2018 |
| Jaccob Slavin | 22 | RFA 2018 |
| Matt Tennyson | 27 | UFA 2017 |
It's highly unlikely the Canes are able to hang on to the five defensemen who are restricted free agents following the 2017-18 season. Given the demand for young blue-liners around the league, Carolina is in the driver's seat when it comes to making a deal.
The one the Leafs would be smart to target is Jaccob Slavin. Though he isn't a right-handed shot, or all that physical, he brings size (6-foot-2) and is already mature beyond his years.
This past season he ranked second in the NHL with 82 takeaways, while only giving the puck away 54 times, despite logging over 23 minutes per game. It's no wonder he was plus-23 on a non-playoff team. He probably wouldn't cost Toronto one of its "big three."
However, if the trade route doesn't work out, Toronto will have to turn to the free-agent market to acquire a top-four D-man.
It's possible the Leafs could splurge on Kevin Shattenkirk or Karl Alzner to help solidify their back end, but both will likely come with hefty asking prices.
Options who will come cheaper but are still somewhat capable of playing top-four minutes include Michael Del Zotto, Michael Stone, and Dmitry Kulikov. Serviceable, but less than ideal.
As for the fifth and sixth defensemen, it's possible Toronto brings back Matt Hunwick and Roman Polak, both unrestricted free agents. However, upgrading the bottom pairing could go a long way in providing more depth and stability on the blue line. Signing veterans on short-term deals here isn't out of the question, considering prospects Andrew Nielsen and Travis Dermott, both 20, are only a year or two away from being NHL-ready.
Lock up Nikita Zaitsev
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
TSN's Bob McKenzie reported March 30 that the Leafs and Zaitsev were working toward a seven-year contract extension. Later that day, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the deal would be worth $4.5 million per season.
Not much has been reported since, but talks will likely heat up now that the Leafs' season's over.
In his first NHL season, Zaitsev averaged 22:01 per game and tallied 36 points. At 25, he was old for a rookie, but a deal such as the one reported above would take him through the prime years of his career at a reasonable rate.
Zaitsev isn't anything to drool over, but he is an exceptional skater who can move the puck and play reliably in his own zone.
If the reported deal comes to fruition, Toronto would have Rielly, Gardiner, and Zaitsev under contract at $5 million or less per year.
Trade James van Riemsdyk
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
James van Riemsdyk is a legitimate top-six forward, but it's difficult to imagine him being a part of this team long term since he's an unrestricted free agent after next season. As a perennial 25-30 goal-scorer who currently makes $4.25 million per year, he's due for a hefty pay raise.
If the Leafs were to hang onto van Riemsdyk, they would likely have to pay him $6 or $7 million per year. That may sound like a bit much, but take a look at what some comparable players are making per season:
| Player | Cap Hit |
|---|---|
| Bobby Ryan | $7.25M |
| Brandon Saad | $6M |
| Loui Eriksson | $6M |
| Kyle Okposo | $6M |
| Milan Lucic | $6M |
| Andrew Ladd | $5.5M |
A case can be made that van Riemsdyk is better than all of these players. With even larger pay increases on the horizon for Matthews, Nylander, and Marner, it doesn't make much sense for Toronto to invest a hefty sum in JvR.
Since van Riemsdyk is in his prime (he'll turn 28 on May 4), Toronto could use him as its primary trade chip in order to acquire a top-four defenseman.
The Leafs have a plethora of internal forward depth that could be used to replace van Riemsdyk's top-six role. Kasperi Kapanen had a great year in the AHL and scored some clutch goals for the big club down the stretch and in the postseason. He seems primed for a promotion.
In addition to Kapanen, Josh Leivo was excellent whenever he was called upon. Brendan Leipsic had a superb season in the AHL and seems ready for a full-time role in the NHL. With the projected growth of its young core in place, Toronto could survive the loss of their second-leading point-producer.
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