Toronto Maple Leafs: The Best Roster While Still Remaining Under the Cap

Currently, the Leafs roster is nothing to be proud of.

The Leafs do have two solid building blocks in Phil Kessel and new captain Dion Phaneuf, but two players can’t win you the Stanley Cup.

Their supporting cast at the forward positions is horribly lackluster, as only sophomore Tyler Bozak and possibly Nikolai Kulemin come to mind. Their defense, even with the inevitable departure of Tomas Kaberle, is set.

Could the Leafs make the playoffs with the roster they have now? Only if teams such as Montreal, New York, Boston, and Ottawa take big falls down the standings. Teams such as the Islanders, Panthers, Hurricanes, Lightning, and Thrashers are in the same position as the Leafs which means these teams could finish in any order. In addition, if one or more of the previous teams fall, the latter teams would be fighting to take the spot(s).

But anyways, I’ve gotten off topic. If the Leafs can make the right trades, sign the right free agents, and bury the right contracts (cough… Jeff…cough… Finger… cough), they might have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs as early as next season.

Leafs Current Roster —Under contract for next year, positions as listed on Leafs     website:

Centers: Tyler Bozak, Mikhail Grabovski, Christian Hanson, Brayden Irwin, John Mitchell, Nazem Kadri

Right Wing: Phil Kessel, Colton Orr

Left Wing: Nikolai Kulemin, Luca Caputi, Fredrik Sjostrom, Viktor Stalberg

Defense: Dion Phaneuf, Tomas Kaberle, Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek, Luke Schenn, Carl Gunnarsson, Jeff Finger,

Goaltender: J.S. Giguere, Jonas Gustavsson

The Toronto Maple Leafs. Gentlemen, we can rebuild this team. We have the cap room. We have the capability to make this a playoff team. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be that team. Better than they were before. Better. Tougher. Faster.

Now for the improvements.

Step One —Trade Tomas Kaberle.

The Leafs need someone to play along side Kessel, and the only way we can do that this off-season is to package Kaberle in a trade. Possibilities that have been mentioned are Patrick Sharp and Bobby Ryan.

I would love to see Bobby Ryan wearing the blue and white next year, but he’s a right wing as well, so he wouldn’t be playing with Kessel. With Sharp, a straight swap with Chicago is impossible because of their cap issues. Enter the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team under immense pressure to make the playoffs this year and make it past the first round.

Here’s the trade:

To Toronto: Patrick Sharp

To Columbus: Tomas Kaberle & Nikolai Kulemin

To Chicago: Columbus' fourth overall draft pick & Columbus' fourth-rounder (94th)

Toronto gets a player to play with Kessel, Columbus gets a top-two defensemen (imagine the outlet passes from Kaberle to Nash), and Chicago gets a high draft pick and loosens the noose of their cap issues.

Step Two —Trade Mikhail Grabovski.

For a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, a fifth-rounder, or even a bag of pucks. I don’t care, just get rid of him.

Step Three —Send Jeff Finger To The Marlies.

Horrible signing. This frees up $3.5 million from the cap and also gives Keith Aulie or Jesse Blacker a chance to make the team out of training camp.

Step Four —Free Agents

With the departure of Kaberle, Kulemin, and Grabovski, and the addition of Sharp, there is just over $13.6 million left on the cap to bring youngsters in and sign free agents. Kadri will definitely be on the team, and I’m guessing Aulie will be Kaberle’s replacement. That takes the available salary for free agents down to just under $13 million.

Targets:

Raffi Torres, LW, if he will take a hometown discount, he would look good on the second line. Cap hit: $2.5 million.

Matthew Lombardi, C, would be great set up man for Torres and Kadri. Cap hit: $3 million.

Brendan Morrison, C, anchor for the third line. Cap hit: $1.5 million.

This leaves around 7.3 million in cap room for emergencies.

Maple Leafs Line-up After Changes

First Line: LW: Patrick Sharp  C: Tyler Bozak  RW: Phil Kessel

Second Line: LW: Raffi Torres  C: Matthew Lombardi   RW: Nazem Kadri

Third Line: LW: Viktor Stalberg  C: Brendan Morrison   RW: Luca Caputi

Fourth Line: LW: Fredrik Sjostrom  C: Christian Hanson  RW: Colton Orr

Extras: John Mitchell, Brayden Irwin

First Defense Pair: Dion Phaneuf & Francois Beauchemin

Second Defense Pair: Mike Komisarek & Luke Schenn

Third Defense Pair: Carl Gunnarsson  & Keith Aulie

Starting Goalie: J.S. Giguere

Backup Goalie: Jonas Gustavsson

With this roster, I believe the Leafs could challenge for the Northeast Division Title and fight their way deep into the playoffs. Not to mention, this line-up could bring the Leafs their first Stanley Cup since 1967.

Please, oh please Mr. Burke, bring us this team.

*-Based on a cap of $56.8 million.