If it is possible for a club to finish dead last in the NHL and be optimistic about the future, the Toronto Maple Leafs reflected that feeling in their closing interviews at Air Canada Center on Sunday.
The Maple Leafs concluded their first season under GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Mike Babcock with a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday, which locked up 30th overall, a guarantee of a pick in the top four at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY and a 20% chance at winning the Draft Lottery on April 30th.
In a year of transition and upheaval, Lamoriello accomplished the difficult feat of moving the contract of team captain Dion Phaneuf without retaining salary, acquiring a bevy of draft picks for rental players Roman Polak, Nick Spaling, Shawn Matthias and James Reimer and positioned the club to add significant talent over the summer with a large amount of available cap space.
Babcock was able to get improvement out of veteran Jake Gardiner and growth from youngster Morgan Rielly, while instilling a work ethic in a club light on talent that maximized the value of players who were moved on and are still on the roster. The Leafs head coach has missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and expressed his desire for the club to get better this offseason and be in competition for the postseason right away.
“I want (the playoffs) back next year. I miss it a lot.” Babcock said. “We’re trying to build a franchise that’s going to have the opportunity to do that year after year.”
The club will be in internal evaluation mode the next two months, with the top-seeded Toronto Marlies in the Calder Cup Playoffs and 2015 draft picks Mitch Marner, Jeremy Bracco and Travis Dermott in the OHL Playoffs, but will also be focusing on contracts for some of the nine free agents on the roster, including RFA’s Rielly, Nazem Kadri and Peter Holland and UFA’s P-A Parenteau, Michael Grabner and Brad Boyes.
Rielly led Toronto in defensive scoring (9 goals and 27 assists) and average time-on-ice with over 23 minutes per game in the last year of his entry-level deal and could be in line for a long-term contract extension with the club in the near future.
“I know that my agent has been in contact (with the Leafs) and they are working (on a new deal) and were hopeful to get things done.” Rielly said. “I’m sure over the next couple days I’ll be a bit more involved with that.”
Kadri has signed two short-term deals with the Leafs over the last three seasons and could be offered another short-term deal or salary arbitration, but the club’s leading scorer is hoping to get more of a commitment.
“Obviously long term is something to look forward to, but at the end of the day it is out of my hands.” Kadri said. “I think I’ve made it clear where I want to stay and where my heart is.”
Holland missed the last 12 games of the season with an undisclosed injury and is looking for more of an opportunity to prove himself. The 25-year-old Toronto native was shifted from center to wing during the season and had success on the man-advantage with 11 power-play points (3rd on the club).
“I feel like I’m a versatile guy, down the middle and on the left wing I had success.” Holland said. “I feel I can switch back and forth, but at the same time a little bit of consistency would be nice just to stay in one position long enough to feel comfortable and have some success.”
Parenteau finished the season with a team-leading 20 goals and hopes to parlay that into a new contract this summer, whether it be with Toronto or another NHL club.
“You try to put yourself in the best spot as possible. You never know, it could be here, it could be somewhere else.” Parenteau said. “Time will tell, there are a lot of ‘ifs’ in the air right now.”
Grabner and Boyes may be part of the 50% roster turnover that Lamoriello indicated last month to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The veteran forwards may be hard pressed to get a contract offer depending on how many youngsters from the Marlies lay claim to NHL positions next September.
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Listen to myself, Russ Cohen and Anthony Mingioni on the latest edition of Off The Post, as we discuss the Leafs, the destination of Hobey Baker Award winner Jimmy Vesey and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2015 top pick Mitch Marner had a goal and three assists in a 5-3 win over the Kitchener Rangers in Game 2 of their second round series.
Marner leads the OHL in playoff scoring with 19 points(6 goals, 13 assists) and has seven points in the first two games vs Kitchener.
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