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Jay on the Leafs. Too many passengers. |
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Maple Leafs Offseason: A Blueprint for Rebuilding the Bottom Six
"Too many passengers."
It only took those 3 words, from Auston Matthews to sum up another failed season for the Toronto Maple Leafs and set in motion what promises to be a franchise altering summer.
The Leafs recent organizational philosophy has been to build a top-heavy roster, relying heavily upon their top 6 for scoring. An idea, which once again failed, the lack of offensive depth was painfully obvious as the playoffs wore on. The team's supporting cast, of Calle Jarnkrok, Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann, Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton, were ineffective, adding just 1 goal.
This year's failure should finally be enough to encourage the Leafs to fully reinvent themselves. One continued issue plaguing Toronto is the lack of an effective forecheck, an element they have become susceptible against. In their final series of the season, the Leafs defenders took a large amount of punishment, while their own lack of physicality helped rejuvenate the Panthers’ defense as they pulled the Leafs into deep water.
The Maple Leafs will now turn to the free agent market and look at potential targets:
Brandon Tanev
The Maple Leafs attempted to unite the Tanev brothers at last year's Trade Deadline, however a deal never materialized. Brandon Tanev brings a unique combination of speed, skill, and grit that the Leafs are sorely lacking.
Last season, Tanev's speed topped out at 23.10 mph, placing him in the 88th percentile in the NHL. He scored 10 goals, delivered 168 hits, and 105 blocks--all while beginning 68.5% of his shifts in the defensive zone.
Tanev possesses the ability to play on the penalty kill, a skill that could lessen the responsibility of Auston Matthews, freeing him up for increased ice time at even strength. In addition to these skills, Tanev is a Toronto native and could be motivated to finish his career alongside his brother, Chris, who signed with the Leafs last summer. Reuniting the pair could help the Leafs manage the contract cost and sign Brandon to a team-friendly deal, something they desperately need.
Prediction: 3 Years / $2,100,000 Cap Hit
This move helps round out the Leafs bottom line, placing Tanev alongside Scott Laughton. With this signing it helps round out the Maple Leafs ideal bottom six as follows:
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Tanev-Laughton-???
Check back tomorrow as I continue to look at ways the Maple Leafs could rebuild their bottom six.
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