TORONTO — Everything was on the table, they said.
Including running it all back, apparently.
Yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ biggest off-season changes after another early playoff exit — the core’s post-season series record sits at 1-8 — were behind the bench or largely symbolic, as Auston Matthews supplants John Tavares as captain.
No trades.
No cuts to a core that has underachieved by everyone’s measure, including their own.
A few veteran blueliners were lost to free agency, and a couple better ones were recruited to log top-four minutes.
A goaltender with questionable dependency as a starter was replaced by a goaltender with questionable dependency as a starter.
The forward group took a hit with the removal of Tyler Bertuzzi, but there is hope that a younger, cheaper committee of wingers can replace his offence.
“All that stuff is going to sort itself out at camp,” GM Brad Treliving says. “What we’re trying to do is make our roster as deep as possible. I think there’s going to be lots of people pushing for jobs.”
Mostly, though, it’s more of the familiar (but legit) talent and familiar (but legit) skepticism.
Change, then, must come through culture, coaching, and consistency.
“It’s a lot of the same group that we’ve had,” Mitch Marner said this summer, with an eye toward training camp. Same faces, same expectations.
“We know we’re a great team, and it’s just about making sure every single summer, you put the work in, and you get ready to go and get geared up for the new one.”
Salary cap space: –$1.07 million
GM: Brad Treliving
Head coach: Craig Berube
Assistant coaches: Lane Lambert, Marc Savard, Mike Van Ryn, Curtis Sanford (goaltending)
Unsigned players: None
Key additions: Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Anthony Stolarz, Jani Hakanpää
Key subtractions: Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Samsonov, T.J. Brodie, Ilya Lyubushkin, Joel Edmundson, Mark Giordano, Noah Gregor, John Klingberg, Martin Jones
PTOs: Max Pacioretty, Steven Lorentz
CAMP BATTLES
First-line left wing: Bertuzzi’s tour of the Original Six shipped out of Toronto and set sail for Chicago, leaving a gaping hole atop the left-wing depth chart. With no outside solution a slam-dunk (we see you, reenergized Max Pacioretty), the answer will unfold over time. Can Matthew Knies build on a promising playoff showing and snatch an every-night role alongside his fellow Arizonan? Does Berube throw a veteran like Max Domi or Calle Järnkrok up top? Or does Nick Robertson flip a trade request into a top-six spot? Bertuzzi’s old minutes need a new home, and there should be plenty of internal competition for them.
Jani Hakanpaa vs. his knee: The rugged right-shot defenceman was said — by Treliving no less — to be joining the Maple Leafs as a free agent on July 1. Yet his contract wasn’t formalized until Sept. 11 because the former Dallas Star has a concerning knee issue. If the 32-year-old veteran is healthy enough to play and the number-crunchers can tuck his contract under the ceiling, he could bolster a mediocre penalty kill and give youngsters like Simon Benoit and Timothy Liljegren some competition to stick in the lineup every night.
Bottom-six forwards: Bertuzzi’s departure combined with a handful of intriguing prospects (Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, Nikita Grebyonkin) and eager fringe forwards (Alex Steeves, Steven Lorentz) should stir plenty of debate over who is most deserving to make the cut. Surely, salary-cap constraints and waiver eligibility will come into play here, and we could see a surprise add to the bottom six. Remember when Treliving traded Sam Lafferty to free up a spot for camp star Minten a year ago?
ONE PRESSING QUESTION
Where does Marner go from here?
With Leon Draisaitl all locked up to the max and Sidney Crosby’s next extension signed, Marner is positioning himself as the most intriguing UFA of the class of 2025.
Armed with a full no-move clause and sharpened by summer skates alongside Nathan MacKinnon, Marner and agent Darren Ferris appear content to play this thing out. And who would be surprised if a healthy Marner, like William Nylander before him, exploded with his most productive NHL campaign yet?
Following another underwhelming post-season, Treliving isn’t rushing to hand over the bag just yet. (The request will start with, what, a 12?) And it will be fascinating to see how Marner performs under Berube — his fellow paparazzi target.
“That one was pretty funny to get out. It’s a little coffee shop in Etobicoke, and there’s only a couple people in there,” Marner says.
“Talking with Craig throughout the summer, he’s been amazing. He’s bringing a great new mindset to the team. I’ve talked to a lot of people that have been under his coaching, and I’ve only heard great things.”
Leafs Nation is demanding great things from its well-compensated core.
How Marner conducts himself on the ice and at the negotiating table this season will not only affect his future but will determine how committed management is to sticking with its top-heavy construction.
PROJECTED LINEUP
Forwards
Knies – Matthews – Nylander
Pacioretty – Tavares – Marner
McMann – Domi – Järnkrok
Robertson – Kämpf – Reaves
Defence
Rielly – Tanev
Ekman-Larsson – Liljegren
McCabe – Hakanpaa
Goalies
Woll
Stolarz