Another Top Megastar Commit To Maple Leafs….
If you’re banking on the Toronto Maple Leafs, goaltending to carry them to a Stanley Cup this season, you might want to reconsider.
Sure, crazy things happen in hockey, and you don’t necessarily need a superstar goalie to lift the Cup anymore. But let’s face it, having a top-tier netminder doesn’t hurt.
We’ve seen it time and again, from Andrei Vasilevskiy’s back-to-back Cups to underdogs like Aidin Hill and Jordan Binnington making history.
Now, I’m not saying Ilya Samsonov or Joseph Woll couldn’t surprise us all, but let’s not bet the farm on it. I’d rather put my faith in someone with a proven track record than cross my fingers and hope for a hot streak.
Especially in a season when John Tavares and Morgan Rielly are at the tail end of their primes, and Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are at their absolute peaks.
Even if by some miracle one of these guys catches fire, it’s no guarantee of victory. Just ask any Leafs fan who’s watched great goalies get outplayed in the playoffs. It’s a cruel reality that in a seven-game series, anything can happen.
If I were Brad Treliving, I’d be pulling out all the stops to upgrade our goaltending this year.
Sure, it’s tough to swing a midseason trade for a goalie, but it’s not impossible. So, who could be the answer to our goaltending prayers?
Breaking down Brad Treliving’s Trade Deadline History and why Maple Leafs fans should be concerned
The trade deadline is just a few days away and the Toronto Maple Leafs still have a couple of holes to fill in their lineup, if they want to be a serious Stanley Cup Contender.
Whether it be the defense or goaltending, the Toronto Maple Leafs will definitely have to address one, if not both, of these weak spots in the coming days.
Having both, Lybushkin and Simon Benoit in the starting lineup come day one of the playoffs is not ideal considering, they are both below-average puck movers and should be playing on the third pair.
Lybushkin is an okay 7th or 8th defenceman for a playoff run but he should not be Morgan Rielly’s or anyone else’s partner on day one of the playoffs.
But with Treliving’s trade deadline history, it is unlikely the Maple Leafs make trade that would move the needle before the deadline on March 8th.
While there are many players who would help the Leafs excell in the playoffs – players such as Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel and Juuse Saros – the Leafs are being linked to much smaller fish.
Given his so-so tenure up to this point, Leafs fans have a right to question whether Treliving is ultimately the man to run the team, but his past record at trade deadlines is not going encourage any of the doubters.
Let’s look into it.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made strides in addressing some depth issues by shifting John Tavares to the third line, but relying on Max Domi as the second-line center isn’t a viable option for a team eyeing a deep playoff run.
While I’ve been a long-time admirer of Domi’s talent, it’s evident that he may not be the ideal fit for the crucial role of second-line center in a playoff-bound team. Unless the Toronto Maple Leafs address this issue, their postseason fate may sadly mirror the disappointing trend of early exits they’ve experienced over the past decade.
Last year, Toronto managed to break a longstanding playoff drought by winning a series, but the euphoria was short-lived.
Despite advancing to the final eight teams, their playoff performance didn’t substantially differ from previous seasons. Winning just one game in the second round, their 5-6 postseason record felt eerily reminiscent of past disappointments, rather than marking a significant breakthrough.
While the Leafs boast a formidable top-nine lineup, concerns persist over Domi’s suitability for a prominent role. The trio of Ryan O’Reilly, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares as centers last season was a potent combination.
With Tavares now anchoring the third line, there’s a clear opportunity to bolster the second-line center position, albeit within the constraints of salary cap limitations.
Exploring potential trades involving players like Calle Jarnkrok, TJ Brodie, and potentially even Max Domi, whose contracts offer flexibility, could pave the way for acquiring an upgrade at center. The Leafs must exercise creativity in managing their cap space to seize this opportunity.
Looking ahead to the NHL Trade Deadline, here are three forwards the Toronto Maple Leafs should consider targeting to strengthen their roster
