The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews first overall at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY last month, signed free agents Matt Martin and Roman Polak in free agency and moved Jonathan Bernier to Anaheim after acquiring Frederik Andersen from the Ducks last month.
GM Lou Lamoriello now will search for a backup for Andersen, but it is unknown whether anything more consequential will happen with the club’s roster between now and the start of training camp in September.
It is time once again to answer the questions utmost on the minds of Leafs Nation from the readers and commenters on Hockeybuzz:
Q: BestRapperAlive asks - Who will be the backup goalie next season?
A: There are two possiblities, signing a UFA or adding a goalie by trade. The best two free agents out there are Jhonas Enroth and Ben Scrivens and both probably can be had on a one-year deal, but the Leafs may want to swap a player out for a backup, thus not taking on another pro contract.
One thing is clear, both Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock indicated that they will be looking for a veteran backup for Andersen, so Garret Sparks and Antoine Bibeau are not being considered viable options.
Q: BKups asks - Talking forwards here, assuming Matthews and Nylander make the big club which of the remaining young guns have a shot making the team: Marner, Soshnikov, Hyman, Brown?
A: Mitch Marner will be held to a different set of standards that the other forwards you’ve listed, since he has to be able to play in a top-six role. If Marner cannot handle matching up against the top forwards of other clubs, he will likely be heading back to the OHL for one more season.
Nikita Soshnikov, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown all had impressive moments at the end of last season and could fit into third/fourth line roles, but would have to beat out pending UFA’s Milan Michalek, Brooks Laich and Colin Greening.
My suspicion is that one or two of the youngsters will be on the Leafs roster to start the season, but will all be playing after the deadline when some or all of the veterans are gone.
Q: .HOHO. asks - Are the leafs actively trying to get a top 4 defenseman in trade?
If so, could you list what you think the top 5 realistic targets are and what you think they would cost us?
A - Upgrading their defense is something the Leafs will be looking to do over the next couple seasons, but the price to acquire Tyson Barrie, Matt Dumba, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jacob Trouba or Cam Fowler is very steep. All of those blueliners are restricted free agents or have one or two years left on current deals and would likely cost Toronto James van Riemsdyk or Nazem Kadri in exchange.
Q: underhill14 asks - We can't get rid of Laich or Michalek, and I don't mind Greening, but what do you think the Leafs do with Lupul, Bozak and Holland? There just doesn't seem to be enough space for them.
A: No one knows what will happen with Joffrey Lupul, coming off another injury plagued season and with two years remaining on his contract. When Lupul’s name was mentioned during a recent press conference, GM Lou Lamoriello quickly changed the subject.
Most people suspect that the 32-year-old forward will disappear like Stephane Robidas into some hockey form of witness protection, but Lupul may want to continue his career past the life of his contract with the Leafs and may not just want to fade into oblivion.
Bozak will be the third line center behind Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri. Holland is scheduled for salary arbitration later this month but could be moved out to create more of an opportunity for one of the club’s younger forwards to make the roster out of training camp.
Q: zazzle asks - Do the Leafs wait till training camp cuts to get a backup goalie or do they sign one first?
A: Based on Lamoriello and Babcock’s statements of wanting a veteran to backup Andersen, they likely won’t want to leave anything to chance and hope that another club tries to sneak a goalie through waivers.
The goaltending market will have many available options based on the protection rules for the upcoming expansion draft, so the Leafs should be able to bring in a backup well before training camp.
Q:systemtool asks - I was wondering if you think they should trade Kadri. He's easily not the rightest guy on the team. With a big contract. Do you think the Leafs trade him?
A: The decision to trade Nazem Kadri will mostly be based on where the Leafs see William Nylander long term. Mike Babcock indicated that Nylander will start training camp on the right wing of Auston Matthews, but does that mean that they see the 2014 top pick as a permanent winger or will he eventually be moved up the middle when he has gained some experience.
Kadri at 25 years old has firmly established what he is. A 50-point center who is a decent playmaker and an annoying presence that can get underneath the other team's skin. The Leafs signed him to a six-year, $27 Million extension because it was good value and also because a $4.5 Million cap hit would be movable.
My contention has been and continues to be that Kadri will not be playing for the Leafs by the time his contract reaches its halfway point.
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