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The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading in a positive direction after decades of being rudderless, but decisions with long range implications next summer could determine whether the franchise stays the course or runs aground.
Team President Brendan Shanahan has put together a quality management team with GM Lou Lamoriello, Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas, but the veteran GM’s three-year contract expires at the end of the season and the club has two potential candidates waiting in the wings in Hunter, who has been given credit for the much-improved scouting and talent evaluation in the last three drafts and Dubas, who is a rising star in management circles, already drawing interest from Arizona and Colorado for vacant GM positions.
In his weekly “31 Thoughts” column,
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports of rumors that Shanahan would like to keep everyone in the front office in the same positions for at least one more season.
There is an obvious reason for Shanahan to maintain the status quo through next summer. The Leafs face a potential crossroads in the summer of 2018, with veteran forwards James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov scheduled for unrestricted free agency and young core players Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner eligible to sign new deals.
Lamoriello only bolstered his reputation as an artful negotiator getting Nikita Zaitsev, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown signed to more than reasonable contract extensions last summer after getting Morgan Rielly and Nazem Kadri locked up in 2016. The Leafs will need his skills more than ever with Nylander becoming a non-arbitration eligible restricted free agent, Matthews and Marner eligible to sign extensions and van Riemsdyk (currently leading the club with 14 goals) an unrestricted free agent.
It appeared to be a foregone conclusion that Toronto would look to deal van Riemsdyk for help on the blueline (especially after signing veteran Patrick Marleau in early July), but that may have changed with the news from the NHL Board of Governors meeting last week that the 2018-19 salary cap could go up from $5 to $7 Million depending on the NHL Player’s Association willingness to increase the amount of escrow withholding.
On Monday’s Buzzcast, USA Today’s Kevin Allen said that an unnamed NHL general manager has believed all along that it was Lamoriello’s intention to re-sign the big left winger and the potential of the Leafs have another $5 Million in cap space to work with may lead to Toronto signing van Riemsdyk to an extension before next July.
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The Maple Leafs take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday in the first of three road games in four days.
Auston Matthews made the trip with the club after being scratched with an upper body injury against Edmonton, but the Leafs center did not take the morning skate in Philadelphia and will not play. Head coach Mike Babcock did not rule out Matthews playing in Minnesota on Thursday or in Detroit on Friday.
Patrick Marleau shifted to center between Zach Hyman and Connor Brown and William Nylander moved into Marleau’s spot on the wing with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov.
Forward Nikita Soshnikov has been placed on injured reserve with a lower body injury and the Leafs have recalled winger Kasperi Kapanen from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Kapanen was an extra skater at the morning skate, which means that Josh Leivo will remain on the fourth line with Matt Martin and Dominic Moore.
Frederik Andersen will get the start in goal for Toronto.
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