The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the process of a full organizational rebuild. One part is infusing a club light on talent with skill players that if properly developed could reach the NHL in two to three years. The other is attempting to rehabilitate the reputations of those who have been in the league for years but have been devalued by subpar play, injuries, lack of confidence or proper coaching.
The procurement of talent is the focus of Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter and Assistant GM Kyle Dubas and it will take years to determine if they have been successful. Getting the most out of holdovers like Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner is on the shoulders of head coach Mike Babcock and those results will be recognizable during the upcoming season.
There was an expectation during the summer that more of core group would share the same fate as Phil Kessel, but Toronto management could not generate enough interest or get enough value coming back in deals to make it beneficial for the Leafs to move them.
The task in front of Babcock is to get the best performance out of this group to determine whether their future can be in Toronto or make them more attractive commodities on the trade market.
The Leafs added a number of experienced players on short-term deals to fill out their NHL roster and buy young prospects like William Nylander, Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen time to learn in the American Hockey League. Some like PA Parenteau, Shawn Matthias or Nick Spaling could be a fit with Babcock's philosophy and earn contract extensions or end up as rent-a-player options for contending teams at the trade deadline in late February.
The Leafs decided not to move Phaneuf at the trade deadline or at the NHL Draft in spite of teams like Detroit or Los Angeles reportedly having some interest. If the 30-year-old performs better this season, teams looking for defensive help like the Kings(now that Slava Voynov has departed North America) or perhaps the Dallas Stars could have renewed interest in Toronto’s team captain.
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Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello provided some incite into the Leafs power structure and what the club is expecting to go through over the next couple years to become a Stanley Cup contender to to
TSN’s Bob MacKenzie on Monday.
On whether he is in charge of hockey operations:
"My responsibility on hockey decisions is my responsibility, but I think what is not different here than any other place….except for what the media has created….is that you consult with people (on) what you do.” Lamoriello said. “Brendan has given me that responsibility, no different than Mike Babcock has the responsibility how he coaches on the ice, but to say that people don't interact and don't use each other, I think that its been overpublicized because of the way it's been put together.”
On what the definition of “pain” is:
"I think it's going to be a culmination of a lot both on and off the ice. Culture is a word that sometimes is overused but underdeveloped, where there's a feeling of everybody doing it together and where there's pain is that the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout this year will not be for all players. We're going to find out who wants to be a part of that and when things like that transpire, there's a little pain." Lamoriello said. "You can't get gain, unless there's some pain. We hope that's not the case but the pain will be the ups and downs."
On ownership buying into the rebuild:
"I feel 100% comfortable to say that ownership has the wherewithal constitutionally to go through whatever it's going to take to make this a sound, long-term franchise. So if that means that it'll be a little slower than any somebody would like... yes. That will all develop as it goes, but if it's going to take a little time, they're willing to do that."
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Toronto will play their third game on the exhibition schedule at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Tuesday night, with a lineup predominately made up of youngsters.
2014 top pick William Nylander and 2015 fourth overall selection Mitch Marner will play on the same line and goaltender Antoine Bibeau is expected to get the start. The 21-year-old was the only netminder who did not see action in the split squad victories over Ottawa on Monday.
It is expected that the club will announce another series of roster cuts prior to the next preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres at Air Canada Center on Friday.
See Previous Columns
Leafs Sweep Split Squad Soirees, Interview With Bill Watters
Leafs Cut 16 From Training Camp Roster
When Will The Leafs Lock Up Rielly To Long-Term Deal??
Leafs Training Camp Preview – Center; Vesey Added As Scout
Leafs Trade Five For Grabner
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