After their newest playoff loss, Toronto Maple Leafs followers ought to anticipate some adjustments this offseason. Not solely is Toronto’s administration anticipated to shake issues up, however some key core members might be free brokers on July 1.
After a brutal 6-1 Recreation 7 loss to the Florida Panthers (their seventh Recreation 7 loss in a row), the Maple Leafs had been booed off the ice as they saluted their dwelling crowd.
Now, common supervisor Brad Treliving might be tasked with fixing a staff that can not seem to recover from the hump. Particularly, he’ll doubtless see a breakup of Toronto’s so-called “core 4” of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares.
Each Tavares and Marner are unrestricted free brokers (UFA); ahead Matthew Knies, an up-and-coming star, is a restricted free agent (RFA) and, whereas nonetheless beneath staff management, will want a brand new deal as nicely.
Though the Maple Leafs have just under $27 million in cap area going into the offseason, they solely have seven forwards beneath contract. Simply two of them, Matthews and Nylander, featured within the staff’s prime six throughout Recreation 7.
Along with Marner, Tavares and Knies, Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz might be UFAs, and Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg are RFAs. With so many gamers to signal, $27 million all of a sudden appears small.
After a 102-point season (fifth within the NHL), Marner will doubtless see a quantity much like Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million new contract with the Dallas Stars. Knies, who scored 29 targets in his second full season, might see upwards of $8 million yearly. Tavares is a little bit of a wildcard; he put up 38 targets and 74 factors in 75 video games this season, however might be 35 when the season begins and could also be prepared to take a hometown low cost.
Regardless, it is unlikely that every one three might be Maple Leafs subsequent season. Though Knies will be offer-sheeted, Toronto will doubtless match any such deal. Tavares additionally appears prone to keep, reiterating his need to stay in Toronto to the media:
That leaves Marner. Given his contract wants and the harassment he is reportedly faced from followers, it appears all however sure that he is performed his final recreation in a Leaf sweater.
Thus, the period of the Core 4 has seemingly come to a disappointing finish. Though Toronto hasn’t missed the playoffs since drafting Auston Matthews, they’ve solely made it previous the primary spherical twice in 9 seasons and by no means made it additional than spherical two.
Regardless of having arguably their finest roster but, together with the defensive-minded additions of coach Craig Berube, defenseman Chris Tanev, defenseman Brandon Carlo, two-way middle Scott Laughton and goaltender Anthony Stolarz, they nonetheless could not get it performed.
The Maple Leafs will enter a brand new period, but it surely stays to be seen if they will break their 58-year Cup-less streak.
