After spending 18 months trading off most of the squad assembled by Brian Burke and Dave Nonis, Team President Brendan Shanahan and GM Lou Lamoriello have begun the more difficult task of putting together the future core group of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer have been replaced by Frederik Andersen(signed to a five-year, $25 Million contract extension after being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks), leading scorer Phil Kessel and a bunch of support players were moved for prospects and picks and have replacements waiting in the wings named Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.
It will take time for Andersen to acclimate to the environs of Toronto and the young forwards to gain experience, but they constitute the group that will lead the club into their second century.
Where the pieces have yet to be found or acquired are on the blueline.
The Leafs hope that Morgan Rielly can step into the breach created by the departure of Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa last February. The 22-year-old signed a six-year, $30 Million extension in April and did not appear intimidated by the responsibility of playing major minutes in the final two months of last season, but head coach Mike Babcock does not have another legitimate top-pairing blueliner besides the 2012 fifth overall pick for next season.
Nikita Zaitsev will get an opportunity to play a significant role early on, but it is unknown whether the KHL import can successfully transition to the North American game right away or will take some time to get up to speed.
Jake Gardiner will see second pairing duty and play 20+ minutes per night, but will have to continue showing the progress defensively he displayed at times last season to not be a liability.
The Leafs we're unable or unwilling to spent significant dollars in free agency, opting to not to get into the bidding for Keith Yandle, Alex Goligoski or Kris Russell and instead re-signed Roman Polak for one year.
Based on the lack of movement, the cost for RFA defensemen Tyson Barrie, Matt Dumba, Jacob Trouba and Hampus Lindholm or veterans like Cam Fowler and Kevin Shattenkirk with short term remaining on their current deals has to be prohibitive; otherwise the Leafs would have pulled the trigger.
Toronto may be waiting for the first domino to fall before swinging a deal for a defenseman, but at this point in their development, giving up veterans James van Riemsdyk or Nazem Kadri may be counterproductive, since it would make the club even more reliant on their inexperienced forwards.
Van Riemsdyk scored 14 goals in an injury-shortened season and has two more years left at a very economical $4.25 million. It is quite likely that the big left-winger will be put together with Matthews, which could boost his value later in the season or next summer in a trade.
Kadri will be the club's top line center until Matthews has proved he can handle matching up against the league’s best, but even after that, the 25-year-old will still be needed to provide secondary scoring up the middle.
Time is on the Leafs side, as they are not expected to challenge for a playoff spot this season. Fans will be content to focus on the young forwards, leaving Lamoriello to patiently wait for an opportunity near the deadline or next summer to find a defenseman.
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The deal signed by goaltender Garret Sparks on Friday was a one-year, two-way contract worth $575,000(NHL) and $100,000(AHL).
The other five restricted free agents (Connor Carrick, Josh Leivo, Martin Marincin, Frank Corrado and Peter Holland) did not accept the qualifying offer extended by the team before 5pm deadline.
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Listen to the Summer Series edition of “The Convo… with myself and CTV’s Norman James (@NormanJamesCTV) as we discuss the Bernier deal and the Leafs search for a backup goalie.
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