Toronto got to celebrate on Saturday, as the Toronto Raptors 100-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks propelled them to an NBA Final for the first time in club history against the dynastic Golden State Warriors.
It is the first time since 1993 that one of the cities major sports franchises will play for a championship, and while there is happiness for the success of their MLSE brethren, the pressure on the Toronto Maple Leafs to find the formula for postseason success has just been turned up a notch.
So happy for @Raptors! Such a great program all the way through and to see all of the staff and players who made it all happen enjoying last night so much was great! Onto Golden State. #WetheNorthhttps://t.co/yoIFDD7L9r
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri faced a dilemma after another playoff loss to LeBron James that his club was good enough to make the playoffs every year, but not good enough to win it all with Demar Derozan as their centerpiece. He chose instead to roll the dice and trade Derozan for Kawhi Leonard with a year left on his contract and that gamble has paid off for Toronto, as Leonard has shined in the postseason
Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is facing a similar dilemma with his club after consecutive seven-game losses to Boston. Most observers believe the Leafs are good enough offensively and have the goaltender in Frederik Andersen, but that they will never been good enough to make a long playoff run if they do not make a significant upgrade to their blueline.
The question before Dubas is whether he will follow the example of Ujiri and make a decisive move this summer to improve his club or stand relatively pat and hope that the growth of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander will make the difference. The acquisition of a difference-making defenseman would likely cost the Leafs either Nylander or Nazem Kadri in exchange and is not without risk, but taking bold action also has its rewards.
The Leafs have until Saturday to sign 20-year-old prospects Ryan McGregor and Fedor Gordeev or they will re-enter the NHL Draft next month in Vancouver. McGregor was selected 172nd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago, scored 77 points (25 goals, 52 assists) with the OHL’s Sarnia Sting last season, and played four games for the AHL Toronto Marlies on a tryout contract at the end of the regular season.
Gordeev was a fifth round selection and scored 32 points (7 goals, 25 assists) for Flint and Guelph this season. The 6’7” 224 lb. blueliner is a good skater with a long reach and scored a goal for the Storm in the Memorial Cup round robin last week, but there is no indication whether the Leafs will give the big blueliner a contract.
2017 first rounder Timothy Liljegren and fourth rounder Ian Scott have already been inked to entry-level contracts, while the deadline for second round pick Eemeli Rasanen, fourth rounder Vladislav Kara and seventh round pick Ryan O'Connell is longer since they are playing in Europe or the NCAA.,
2014 draft pick Dakota Joshua is another signing deadline for Toronto. The big center completed his four year stint at Ohio State and the Leafs have until the end of June to sign him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»