The 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Center on Thursday ended any possibility of the Toronto Maple Leafs making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that mathematical certainty only served as confirmation of the decision made by Team President Brendan Shanahan in February 2015 to tear down and rebuild the organization.
Toronto has now missed the playoffs 10 of the last 11 seasons (the longest streak of futility in the history of the franchise), but unlike most of that stretch when management wasted future assets and millions on short-term stop gaps to keep the club competitive, Shanahan has implemented a long-term plan based on scouting and player development that is showing significant progress after 13 months.
Clearing out holdovers from the Burke/Nonis era was the first step for Shanahan, Assistant GM Kyle Dubas and GM Lou Lamoriello and they have been mostly successful with the trades of Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf and James Reimer.
Allowing youngsters to gain experience by signing veterans to fill in at the NHL level has also worked well, as free agent Nikita Soshnikov, 2014 top pick William Nylander and NCAA product Zach Hyman (acquired from Florida) have shown the ability to perform effectively in the NHL after a lengthy stint with the Toronto Marlies.
After a difficult year of transition, Toronto can look forward to the fruits of their labor after the regular season, as they will be in position to select in the top four of the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Unlike years when the exploits of Mats Sundin, Martin Gerber and Boyd Devereaux moved the Leafs out of position to draft Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, John Tavares or Victor Hedman instead of Luke Schenn and Nazem Kadri, Toronto is practically guaranteed to add one of Auston Matthews, Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrik Laine, Pierre-Luc Dubois or Matthew Tkachuk to the prospect pool that includes Nylander and Mitch Marner.
The summer leading into Toronto’s centennial season promises to be one of the more tumultuous in their history, but after years of acrimony regarding the ownership, management, coaching and the direction of the franchise, there is reason for optimism in Leafs Nation.
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The status of Nashville draft pick Jimmy Vesey is still up in the air, according to Preds GM David Poile .
Poile said to Sportsnet’s Hockey Central on Friday that he is “cautiously optimistic… he will get the 2012 third round pick signed after the end of his senior season at Harvard University, but there have also been indications that the Hobey Baker finalist will not sign an entry-level deal with Nashville and opt to become a free agent this August.
Vesey’s brother Nolan (6th round – 2014) and father Jimmy Sr. (scout) are members of the Maple Leafs organization and GM Lou Lamoriello has long had a preference for NCAA products.
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