Maple Leafs Offseason Hinges on One Crucial Move, Says Analyst

In a recent post for Daily Faceoff, NHL analyst Matt Larkin didn’t mince words when evaluating the Toronto Maple Leafs’ offseason. Suggesting that not adding a top-six forward this summer will go down as a “massive failure,” he offered up a warning that the GM needed to find a way to get that item checked off his to-do list.

Along with the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues, Larkin had the Maple Leafs listed under a “Could Miss the Playoffs” category. He argued that Treliving was successful in rewriting Toronto’s DNA, but argued it might be for the worse following the departure of Mitch Marner. While he credited Brad Treliving for adding Matias Maccelli and acquiring Nicolas Roy in a sign-and-trade with Vegas, Larkin pointed out that neither player can come close to replacing Marner’s elite production.

“Now the Leafs’ top-end scoring will largely depend on Auston Matthews fighting off chronic injury,” Larkin wrote, “while they’ll hope John Tavares can repeat a 38-goal season at 35 years old.” We’ll note that it’s challenging to determine how much those two players will be affected by Marner’s departure from the team. Imagine any other team removing one of its top players and suggesting the other stars wouldn’t see a drop in production. Seems unlikely.

What Can the Maple Leafs Still Do?

With $5.3 million in cap space remaining, the Leafs do have room to maneuver—and Treliving has publicly acknowledged the team is still trying to add another top-six option. They’ve been linked to Jack Roslovic, and reports were that they took a swing on Andrew Mangiapane. Maybe he doesn’t need to add immediately, but Larkin suggests this is a team that can’t wait terribly long.

“If they don’t add another top-six forward by any means necessary between now and October,” he warned, “GM Brad Treliving’s offseason is a massive failure.”

Larkin also questioned how much the Leafs might have naturally regressed, even with Marner on the team. He pointed to above-average goaltending from Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll and hinted that asking for repeat performances might be asking too much.

The pressure is officially on. Unless Treliving pulls off one more significant move, the Leafs risk entering the season with a top-six group that simply isn’t good enough to keep pace.

Next: Are Any of the Maple Leafs’ Rumored Trade Targets Realistic?