After their newest playoff loss, Toronto Maple Leafs followers ought to count on some modifications this offseason. Not solely is Toronto’s administration anticipated to shake issues up, however some key core members shall be free brokers on July 1.
After a brutal 6-1 Sport 7 loss to the Florida Panthers (their seventh Sport 7 loss in a row), the Maple Leafs had been booed off the ice as they saluted their house crowd.
Now, basic supervisor Brad Treliving shall be tasked with fixing a crew that can not seem to recover from the hump. Particularly, he’ll seemingly see a breakup of Toronto’s so-called “core 4” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares.
Each Tavares and Marner are unrestricted free brokers (UFA); ahead Matthew Knies, an up-and-coming star, is a restricted free agent (RFA) and, whereas nonetheless underneath crew management, will want a brand new deal as effectively.
Though the Maple Leafs have just under $27 million in cap area going into the offseason, they solely have seven forwards underneath contract. Simply two of them, Matthews and Nylander, featured within the crew’s prime six throughout Sport 7.
Along with Marner, Tavares and Knies, Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz shall be UFAs, and Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg are RFAs. With so many gamers to signal, $27 million immediately appears small.
After a 102-point season (fifth within the NHL), Marner will seemingly see a quantity just like Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million new contract with the Dallas Stars. Knies, who scored 29 targets in his second full season, might see upwards of $8 million yearly. Tavares is a little bit of a wildcard; he put up 38 targets and 74 factors in 75 video games this season, however shall be 35 when the season begins and could also be keen to take a hometown low cost.
Regardless, it is unlikely that each one three shall be Maple Leafs subsequent season. Though Knies will be offer-sheeted, Toronto will seemingly match any such deal. Tavares additionally appears to be like prone to keep, reiterating his want to stay in Toronto to the media:
That leaves Marner. Given his contract wants and the harassment he is reportedly faced from followers, it appears all however sure that he is performed his final recreation in a Leaf sweater.
Thus, the period of the Core 4 has seemingly come to a disappointing finish. Though Toronto hasn’t missed the playoffs since drafting Auston Matthews, they’ve solely made it previous the primary spherical twice in 9 seasons and by no means made it additional than spherical two.
Regardless of having arguably their finest roster but, together with the defensive-minded additions of coach Craig Berube, defenseman Chris Tanev, defenseman Brandon Carlo, two-way middle Scott Laughton and goaltender Anthony Stolarz, they nonetheless could not get it achieved.
The Maple Leafs will enter a brand new period, but it surely stays to be seen if they’ll break their 58-year Cup-less streak.
