With the impending fire sale that Maple Leaf's General Manager Cliff Fletcher says is on the way, now is the time to look at the Toronto Maple Leaf's options moving forward.
Coaching
Up first on the agenda is the decision about what to do with current Maple Leafs' coach, Paul Maurice.
Maurice is the youngest coach in the National Hockey League and already has a Stanley Cup final appearance to his name from his time spent as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.
He is well equipped to handle a young inexperienced team that is also lacking in talent, and next year's squad looks to be headed that way. Maurice should be kept as head coach and given an extension.
Goaltending
In goal, Vesa Toskala, has shown that he has what it takes to be a top goalie in the NHL and really solidify the position for years to come.
Andrew Raycroft was this year's backup and saw very limited action in the Leaf net. He is on the books for $2 million next year, which is a hefty price for a backup goaltender.
Next year the Maple Leafs should resign Scott Clemenson for $800 thousand for one year and give him 20 starts.
Defense
The defensive corps will see some retooling as Anton Stralman has cemented his spot in next year's lineup. Pavel Kubina, who had a stellar last quarter of the season, should be on his way out; his trade value will never be higher.
A defensive blue-chip prospect and a top pick are not out of the question. Kubina has a six-week window in his no-trade clause starting on draft day because the Leafs were not able to make the playoffs.
Bryan McCabe has a no-trade clause, and there is talk of him possibly willing to waive it to go back to the New York Islanders. The Leafs would have to take on salary back in this deal for it to go through.
The value that McCabe has at $5.75 million is a lot better than anything coming back, and with Kubina gone that salary is easier to take.
Look for:
Kaberle-McCabeColaiacovo-WhiteStalman- FA(Bryce Salvador)
The Free Agent cupboards are rather bare on defense this year, but the Leafs will need to go that avenue to fill a hole. My pick would be Bryce Salvador. He will sign at a cap-friendly price and would fit in nicely in the 5-6 whole.
Forwards
The forward corps will have a drastically different look come next September. Sundin will come back because he will not want his last game to be played on the injured list. Signing for $6 million would be a fair price for Mats.
Tlusty and Williams have won a spot on next year's roster and will be joined by Nikolai Kulemin.
The big areas of change are going to be with the veterans. Darcy Tucker should be kept. You will not be able to dump the salary, and anything Toronto gets back in return will be a huge downgrade. Jason Blake still has value and can be dealt, but will be traded for next to nothing.
The big shocker will be the Leafs having to decide to trade either Matt Stajan or Alex Steen. Steen would be the one to try and keep.
They are both No. 2 centers, but will never be No. 1 centers. Neither will replace Sundin when he goes, so trading one now for a good pick in this year's draft is key. We have no need for both and after the last few games their value has never been so high.
Resigning Dominic Moore is a must as he will fill the No. 3 centre role well. Kyle Wellwood should be getting another shot, but it will be his last. Mark Bell should be dealt if possible; if not, buy him out.
The lineup should look like this:
Ponikarovski-Sundin-AntropovTucker-Steen-TlustyKulemin-Moore-Williams
Devereaux-Newburry-Wellwood
The key here depends on who comes back in trades. Free agents are not needed; it is time to let the kids have their shot.
The 2008-09 version of the Toronto Maple Leafs will look different than this version but it is important to have a youth movement in Leaf Land.
Total cap hit: $37.833 million
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3 months ago
Well said...I wouldn't sign Sundin...time for a cool change!
Maybe if we downgrade enough we have a shot at the 1st overall,
and we all know who that is...
3 months ago
Maurice hasn't won a Stanley Cup with any team (yet). Hope springs eternal.
3 months ago
I would actually rather keep Stajan over Steen...Stajan plays a good 2-way game and this season has shown a little more grit.
Tucker should be re-signed, and Blake should go, it was mistake signing him based on his previous season and I have a feeling JFJ just did that to say he did anything at all.
Toskala should be kept on and made the number 1 and I can see Clemmy being given the back-up with Pogge coming up after the all-star break to get a few games in.
3 months ago
Steen has more upside, and is the better skater which is important with the NHL today.
3 months ago
keep both steen and stajan they work well together, get rid of poni and tucker try to trade them if not buy out tucker. wellwood should be given another chance as long as his recovery and conditioning are his pimary concerns this off season. trade Kubina for a pick or a prospect. Sundin if he resigns would be good but either way it is not that important the leafs need to start phasing out the "buying the stanley cup philosphy" and build around the draft so without sundin there is a good chance the leafs would get close to drafting Tavares.
3 months ago
That roaster looks so similar to last year. The only difference is Kulemin. And what's with resigning Clemenson, why not give Pogge a shot in the NHL? Here's my thinking. You should trade Blake, McCabe, Colaiacovo, Kubina, Ponikarovski and Stajan. I say trade Stajan, Ponikarovski, and Colaiacovo for a first rounder this year. Buyoff contracts of Blake, McCabe and send them to neverever land. Don't resign Kubina and Wellwood.
OFFENCE: Steen(C), Antropov(AC), Kulemin - Tlusty, Moore, Devereaux-Williams
Robbie Earl, Tucker-First round pick.
DEFENCE: Kaberle,Stralman--White, Bryce Salvador--First round 2008 pick for a decent defence men .
GOALIES: Toskala and Pogge
As for Sundin let's just say we resign him in the middle of the season. Let the young guys get the glory for once.
As you noticed I gave Steen the Captain title. Put tucker on the third line because he is as useless as a pine cone. I would give the first round picks a chance at the NHL rather than shipping them down to the Marlies. Let's see where they go. Move raycroft to the Marlies. Let him get back to his former Clader cup self. GO LEAFS GO!!
3 months ago
I can't agree with what you are saying. We cannot buy out contracts like mccabe and blake...for thenext three years our salary cap would be drastacally smaller as a result....buying out puts 1/3 of the contract on ur books...w/o the player...buying them out is not worth it...blake is tradeable or buyoutable but not both....
and as far as goaltending goes we cannot have Pogge comiung up getting 25 starts....he needs tos tay in the minors and get his 65 starts for a whilelonger...toskala is damn good..he will be fine getting 65 up here...
3 months ago
Maybe not buyoff Blake and McCabe's contracts, but if it comes to that than MLSE has to make sacrifises. They can threaten McCabe and Blake to either a buyout or a trade. They'll probably opt for the trade.
As for pogge. How long do you expect this guy to waste his career in the Marlies. Time to develop is now. Give hime 30 games in the NHL level, if doesn't work out then we can ship him out and look for a new goalie prospect. I agree that Toskala can stand the pressure of 65 games but we also cannot depend on him on those 65 games. What if he gets injured? Wouldn't won't raycroft in net. What a nightmare that would be. Let Pogge train under Toskala, get some pointers, and maybe just maybe he might be of asset in the future.
Leafs have to change the roaster. It should not look like the roaster it has now. Just look at the 8-2 loss to the Ottawa that's your future right there if you don't clean up this no talent team. I forgot to mention Bell. Ship him to the Marlies or put him on waivers. This team needs to be demolished and build over and not like what this article intended "a second coat of paint."
3 months ago
I don;t think e can expect too much, with todays market and cap, it is necessary to build from within...we cannot buy anymore....having 2-3 lines of pure youngsters will create many more games like Ottawa this week...we cannot completely kill what we have, we ned to let the youngsters grow and as they get better so will the teamAs for Pogge, if toskala gets injured and you want Pogge to play call him up and start him then...having him waste away on the bench will nto help anything....sooner or later they will have to make a choice as toskala is not exactly an old man either....one of these guys have to be the goalie of the future, the way i see it is let Toskala go with it for an entire year next year and see if he is the real deal like we all think...if he is...Pogge can then become trade bait..or we keep them both for a year or two then trade Toskala and go with Pogge...
3 months ago
Ok you may have a point there about Pogge. But let's say we don't trade raycroft in the summer (or whomever we bring in to replace him) and keep him as the back-up for toskala for next season and if Tosky gets injured down the stretch as you said we bring in Pogge. That wouldn't be fair for raycroft or whomever would it? If I were a goalie, I wouldn't want to be used like that. No way. He is a human after all not a piece of chewed gum you can reuse.
Maybe what the new general manager could use the same criteria the montreal canadiens did, with Huet. Let Pogge compete for the number 1 title against toskala during camp and during the season. If it doesn't work out we can ship him to the marlies like they shipped Price to the Bulldogs when he wasn't performing. In any case, Pogge needs the NHL atmosphere. He is not just wasting his time on the bench as you intended. He will get the feel for the NHL lifestyle. He will mature and if he performs well he might just as well take over the number 1 position.
Also, I agree that the bringing in a young roaster is not going to better our chances for the playoffs. But remember we are not competing for the playoff position. We are here to build a new team. Edmonton is a good example of this. Give the leafs 2 more years developing, and with a few more first round picks, we might be playoff bound in the year 2010. It takes a lot of patience, and teeth grinding but definately better than a "quick fix." The games will be more existing than ever to watch.
The leafs need a makeover. Hopefully the roaster changes, and the coaching staff as well. Maurice is a fine coach btw.
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