The Toronto Maple Leafs accomplished a great deal in their organizational transition by clearing big money contracts off their roster, as well as signing and flipping players on short-term contracts for future assets.
In the weeks leading up to the February 29th trade deadline, GM Lou Lamoriello moved out team captain Dion Phaneuf, goaltender James Reimer, defenseman Roman Polak, forwards Nick Spaling, Shawn Matthias and Daniel Winnik, minor leaguers Casey Bailey, Jeremy Morin, Matt Frattin and Ryan Rupert and junior blueliner Cody Donaghey.
The Leafs now have 20 picks in the 2016 and 2017 Drafts (four picks in the first two rounds each year) to go along with prospects Tobias Lindberg, Connor Carrick and Colin Smith as a result of the trades, but had to take back the expiring contracts of Alex Stalock, Ben Smith and Raffi Torres and veterans Jared Cowen, Brooks Laich, Milan Michalek and Colin Greening with another year remaining on their deals.
Lamoriello’s maneuvers not only left Toronto with cap flexibility this summer and going forward, it also provided the club another round of potential rental players.
Toronto plans to buy out the final year of Cowen’s back loaded four-year, $12.4 Million contract for $650,000 cap credit this summer, but the trio veteran forwards could improve their market value with more playing time and in scoring roles next season.
Laich, 32, is not the same player that signed a six-year, $27 Million contract in 2011, but could be a desirable depth acquisition to a playoff-bound club if the Leafs retain part of his $4.5 Million salary. The same could be said for the 31-year-old Michalek, who could fit into the top-six with his history as a five-time 20 goal scorer.
Ottawa soured on Greening after scoring one goal in 26 games last season and the 29-year-old Newfoundlander spent most of 2015 in the AHL, but the Cornell University alum is playing well since the trade last month, scoring his second goal in the Leafs 3-2 loss in Washington on Wednesday.
Barring the unforeseen inclusion in a deal over the summer, Laich, Michalek and Greening will have a chance to reinvigorate their careers and could be converted in draft choices or prospects when the 2017 trade deadline approaches.
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The Leafs play their second of back-to-back games against the Minnesota Wild at Air Canada Center after a 3-2 loss to the Capitals at Verizon Center on Wednesday night. Garret Sparks will get the start in goal after Jonathan Bernier suffered the loss in Washington (his eighth in the last nine starts).
Head coach Mike Babcock was pleased with the effort of newcomers Zach Hyman and Nikita Soshnikov, who scored his first NHL goal in the second period, but commented that he was looking for more effort from rookies William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen.
“You got to learn to work, you got to learn to compete.… Babcock said after the morning skate on Thursday. “When you are a kid, you always think you are going to get the puck back. As you get older, you know it is too hard to get back so you just hang onto it all the time. There’s lots to learn and they are (a) work in progress.…
Veteran Brad Boyes suffered an upper body injury on Wednesday and rookie Brendan Leipsic was recalled on an emergency basis from the Toronto Marlies.
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