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This is just a thread I'd like to make for myself to record some ideas and thoughts but is open to anyone who wants to critique, debate and/or discuss what the Leafs should do this off-season.
These ideas aren't intended to be predictions as much as what I'd hope to see the Leafs do to improve the team for better playoff success going forward.
The goal is to remove the proven losers and replace them to either proven winners and/or players who better fit a successful playoff style.
Bring in management and coaching that is capable of playing with the current star players but also mold the rest of the team around them to play a defensive, physical playoff style of hockey that doesn't cost us our ability to attack and cycle. Better coaching, bigger and better defense and a top 5 goalie added to our young offensive weapons.
Fire Shanahan.
President: George McPhee
- Great figurehead, can talk to the owners as a proven winner builder
GM: Dale Tallon
- Great GM who has built Cup contenders and winners with a great drafting record. Has the balls to make a big move and the mind to build from the draft.
Demote Treliving to Assistant GM. He can teach Shane Doan. If he doesn't like it, he can make like tree and (frank) off.
Head coach: Joel Quenneville
- Three time Cup winner with a high skill team, all-time great coach. Will be put under special scrutiny to ensure he never makes the same mistake again.
Assuming cap is @ 84 million in 2023/2024 and 88 in 2024/2025.
Trade Tavares to BUF for Mittelstadt
- Will require a lot of negotiation but ultimately must happen for the betterment of the franchise.
- BUF needs the offense, the experience, can afford the cap hit and is close enough to Oakville so he doesn't really have to be far from home.
Trade Brodie and Samsonov + pick and/or prospect for Hellebuyck
- Prospect, salary and a future goalie for a top 5 goalie on an expiring contract.
- Might need to add Robertson, I'd be okay with it.
Trade McCabe for picks and/or prospects
- Need better bottom pairing D, need the money for more playoff experienced, bigger bodied defenders
Dump Murray or buy-out if absolutely necessary.
- One of the worst moves Dubas ever made, needs to get dumped to clear cap space.
Extend Matthews @ 8 years 13.4 million AAV
- 104 million dollars guaranteed, as much as possible up front.
- This is what Matthews is worth. If he wants more, Matthews must be traded and a possible rebuild may need to occur.
Extend Nylander @ 8 years 9.88 million AAV
- If he wants more than this, trade him.
- Possibly expand deal with WPG for Dubois if extension is possible, lower AAV
- Otherwise, trade for cheaper top-six forward or part of a package for a #1 RHD.
Re-sign O'Reilly @ 1 year 3 million AAV
- One year "show me" deal after a statistically terrible season to rebuild value.
- Slight home team discount
Re-sign Acciari @ 3 years 2 million AAV
Re-sign Schenn @ 3 years 1.25 million AAV
- Three year security
- Slight home team discount
Sign Domi @ 2 years 4.5 million AAV
- Grew up at the ACC, idolized Sundin and everybody knows he's going to play in TO eventually. I think that time is now with career earnings of over 22 million, he can afford to play for passion and leave a little money on the table on a short term deal.
- Significant home team discount but could significantly raise his own value on his next contract if he puts up big numbers playing with Matthews / Marner.
Sign Monahan @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- One year "show me" deal after three bad seasons to rebuild value.
- Slight home team discount
Sign Perry @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- Playoff performer. Even if he plays 40 games, he's worth it for the playoffs.
- Slight home team discount
Sign Brown @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- Coming off an injury, home team discount, 1 year "show me" deal.
Sign Mayfield @ 5 years 5.5 million AAV
- 6'5" 220, RHD, can play big minutes and defense so Rielly can be unleashed.
Sign Graves @ 5 years 5 million AAV
- 6'5 220, LHD, can play shutdown role effectively, has playoff experience.
Sign Dumoulin @ 2 years 3.75 million AAV
- 6'4", 210, 2 time Cup winner, loads of playoff shutdown experience.
Re-sign Hellebuyck @ 5 years 8 million AAV
- Top 5 / Vezina winner, top 5 playoff numbers in past 5 years among goalies with 40+ playoff games of experience. Takes pressure off the FWD and the D, can steal games.
Line-up
Mittelstadt / Matthews / Marner 20-22 TOI/GP
Monahan / Domi / Nylander 16-18 TOI/GP
Jarnkrok / O'Reilly / Lafferty Shut-down line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Knies / Acciari / Perry Grind line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Brown
Robertson
- If not traded, can split time with Knies, if he can stay healthy and Knies doesn't run away with the spot.
- All 4 lines allow for a lot of interchangeability. A lot of wingers who can also play C. A lot of wingers can move up and down the line-up accordingly. Top six offensively dangerous, bottom six defensively sound and physically dangerous.
Rielly / Mayfield
- Top pair, 22 TOI/GP, gives Rielly somebody big and stable to play D.
Graves / Schenn
- Shutdown pair, 20 TOI/GP, plays PK and shuts down top 2 lines.
Dumoulin / Liljegren
- Bottom pair, 18 TOI/GP, plays PK and shuts down 2/3rd lines.
Giordano
- If he doesn't retire, cycles in and out of the line-up as necessary, stays fresh for the playoffs.
PP1 / PP2
Domi / Matthews / Nylander
Marner / Rielly
Monahan / O'Reilly / Perry or Knies or Robertson
Mittelstadt / Graves
PK1 / PK2 / PK3
Acciari / Marner - O'Reilly / Jarnkrok - Lafferty / Knies
Graves / Mayfield - Dumoulin / Schenn - Rielly / Liljegren
Hellebuyck
- Plays 52 games against the best teams, never plays back-to-back and stays healthy and rested for the playoffs.
Woll
- Plays 30 games, all 2nd half of back-to-back games, weaker opponents, gets a long stint to prove himself as a regular back-up. |
