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Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has to be pondering and investigating what avenues he will pursue this summer in a number of different areas to find a pathway to improving his club’s chances of playoff success.
In spite of a record-breaking regular season, the Leafs had another early postseason exit. Toronto will likely explore the trade market and/or free agency to find upgrades, but that will depend on what they do with the players currently on their roster.
We look today at what the Leafs may do on the right side:
While all the buzz at this point last summer was the unrealistic chatter of trading Mitch Marner from a frustrated fan base, Toronto has to recognize that the 25-year-old, coming off a 97-point campaign is one of the pieces of their core group that should and will not be moved.
William Nylander is an entirely different case altogether. After averaging nearly a point-per-game, posting a career-high 34 goals, and with two years remaining at less than a $7 million AAV, Nylander is at his highest possible value and could be an attractive get for a club starving for offense and willing to overlook his inconsistencies.
If Dubas chooses once again to keep his core four unit intact, it is tough to imagine any great change of fortune by simply reshuffling the roster on the periphery. The Leafs have to make a paradigm shift, and with Marner, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares not being moved, the logical option is to move Nylander in exchange for a player with a different attitude, skill set, or at a different position (goaltender or defense) or in exchange for young assets that allows the Leafs to open up cap space to bring in another player in another deal or as a free agent.
There have been hints that the Leafs would like to bring back Ondrej Kase, but might choose to not extend the qualifying offer of 10% more than his $1.25 million salary. Veteran Wayne Simmonds is under contract for another season, but with Toronto potentially looking to promote internally, 2018 sixth-round pick Pontus Holmberg or 26-goal Marlie Joey Anderson could earn a roster spot with a good camp.
Right wing could be a position where the Leafs look for bargain veterans to come in on short-term deals, especially if they choose to move Nylander and go in a different direction.
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