Nostalgia: The Leafs and the Big M Trade

I have been a Maple Leafs fan for years. I enjoy reminiscing about the good old days. I remember watching a game on Youtube, and my son came in and noticing it was not in colour, wanted to know if there was something wrong with the TV. I know, right? LOL. Those were the good old days.

I especially remember a trade that rocked the hockey world in the 1968 season. The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Doug Barrie, Paul Henderson, Floyd Smith, and Norm Ulman from the Red Wings. The big news was who was going the other way. The Toronto Maples Leafs shipped FRANK MAHOVLICH, with the rights to Carl Brewer (contracts problems with Leafs), Pete Stempkowski, and Gary Unger to the Detroit Red Wings. Do you notice that I put Frank Mahovlich's name in capital letters? Heck, I even bolded it for more emphasis. I put his name in bold letters.

Frank, who was known his nickname of the big M (not that his name was hard to pronounce) because he also had a younger brother. Frank was Toronto's favourite son and the Leafs took him away from us. Well, in a six-year-old brain anyway. We just traded the greatest player in the history of the Maple Leafs. The big M was, by far, the Maple Leafs' best player; if there were an untouchable player, it would be him. The Leafs fans were outraged. Everyone was expecting a shake-up, but not the man you don't mess with the man. 

Neither the Maple Leafs nor the Red Wings turned things around. Both teams missed the playoffs. To this day, I say the Maple Leafs have the Big M Curse. They have not won the Stanley Cup since. That is my story, and I am sticking to it. 

Randy

Maple Leafs: Defining a Captain

A captain is a cog in your team engine and needs to fit correctly. He is the sugar in your coffee, the cream in the ice cream. I could go on, but I think you get my point.  

By definition, a captain is a leader—the first out on the ice and last to leave. He has to hold the room together. If there is a problem in the dressing room, he has to fix it. The captain is the man the team turns to in a crisis. 

So does John Tavaras fit that definition? I saw the Jackets vs Maple Leafs games, where at times he was the only one skating. He is a quiet leader. His actions speak louder than his words. He might not be there with the pom poms, but he is in the corners getting the puck.  

It does not matter how the captain is a leader, as long he leads in the right direction. As I run through the stats, I hear some arguments telling me Matthews should be the captain. But the best players don't always make the best captains. John is also the hardest worker on the team. He does not quit on a puck. He makes everyone around him better.  

Last word

Is Andersen on the Market? I cannot count the number of times this season I was chanting, "Freddy, Freddy!" So why are we putting him on the market? Basic economic reasons. His contract comes up next season. He is making $5 million this season and will want a raise his next contract. The Leafs can't afford the cap. That being said, we'd better get a goalie and hopefully a defenceman back. Good luck shopping, Maple Leafs.

Randy

Can the Maple Leafs deliver? Capitalizing on the Kapanen deal

The trade of Kasperi Kapanen to the Penguins leaves the Maple Leafs with some options. The departures of Kyle Clifford and Tyson Barrie gives you an additional $3.5 million. At $3.2 million, Kapanen gives the Maple Leafs a total of $6.7 million to play with. Previously, I listed possible additions on the defence side.

Now we have to look at how to fit everything together. The Maple Leafs can use that money to grab a defenceman or make another trade. Keep in mind we will have to replace Clifford with another fourth-liner.  

What will we get for Nylander if we go through the trade route? Nylander is coming off of a 30-goal season. Those don't grow on trees. Nylander is being used in all aspects of the game: He has a deadly shot on the powerplay. His speed makes him dangerous in the 5-on-5, allowing him to get around opposing defenders. There should be plenty of teams knocking at the door, especially with Nylander's on contract for another four years.  

Nylander should get us a top-of-the-line second-pairing defenceman. Or maybe even a lower-echelon top-pairing defenseman. There are rumours that the Oilers might part with Oscar Klefbom. Perhaps a deal could be worked out centering around him. If the Leafs use this option, the remaining money could buy a cheaper version of Nylander through free agency. Either way, the Maples Leafs have more options with the shrewd deal made by Dubas. A general manager should get his props for the good as well as getting smacked for the bad. 

Randy

Now what?

 

The Maple Leafs have some soul searching to do. Finding a defenceman who actually knows how to play defence would be an excellent start. Yes, I am being facetious, but you get my point. We have more leaks in our defensive than a toilet. The defence has to be the Leafs' top priority. 

The free-agent crops are loaded with talent at the top, but it quickly thins out. Let's weed this list out and go over it with a fine-tooth comb. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but saying that, here are my top four free agent defensemen.

Alex Pietrangelo 

Alex can write his own ticket. He does everything well. He has a great slapshot for the powerplay. Alex distributes the puck well and has excellent vision. His best quality is that he makes everyone around him better. However, he might be out of the Leafs' price range. 

Tory Krug 

Tory's strength is that he is a great rushing defenseman. Do not underestimate his defensive abilities. He is a great skater and uses his speed to get himself out of trouble. He is a reliable number one or two defensemen. A solid pick, I would make the appropriate roster changes to fit him in.

Travis Hamonic 

Travis means the world to me. He is a leader in and out of the ice. He would give up his immortal soul for the team. Travis will become an instant fan favourite. He is an excellent stay-home defenceman and one of the best shot-blockers. As he is called, Hammer should be the best option, but you can probably sign him for around $4 million or less. 

Chris Tanev

Chris Tanev is a solid, experienced defenceman who can still play for a couple of years. He is great in the defensive zone and leads by example. Again, a cheaper defenseman. Who says you have to spend a lot to get results?

Randy

What to do with Kyle Dubas

If there is one thing that is unanimous with the fans, it is to fire Dubas. Let me try to talk to the fans away from the edge. I can understand the frustration, but the worst thing the Leafs can do is make a knee jerk decision and fire everyone.

I have often heard insiders say a new General Manager is given time to rebuild his team. When the GM is brought in, the people around him are not usually his own. He has inherited a coach and other coaches already in place. In other words, he gets a mulligan until he brings in his first coach. Babcock was not Dubas' hire; he was part of the different regime. Dubas never liked Babcock. There were rumors that he had discussions with Shanny about firing Mike. Dubas wanted Sheldon Keefe from the start. They have not given this dynamic duo chance to spin thier webs out yet.

The second reason for keeping Dubas is that he has never had total control of the team. I know he is the General Manager, but he clearly has to okay everything through Shanahan. The Leafs will deny that until they are blue in the face, but we all know Shanny is in charge. He has to cut the puppet strings and let Dubas make the moves he wants to do. 

The third reason I say to keep Dubas is that putting a new GM in right now would set the Maple Leafs back a couple more years. I am not ready to do a complete rebuild. I am not sure the Leafs could do much of a rebuild because of the core's heavy cap load.

Last word

It will be interesting to see what happens in the offseason. Only time will tell which road this team will take?  

Randy

The Maple Leafs Biopsy

The underachieving Toronto Maple Leafs strike again. Matthews, Tavaras, and last but not least, Marner forgot there was a game. One more time, the Maple Leafs had no answer to tough defence.  

Same old, same old. The Maple Leafs get outworked every series. No one wants to get their hands dirty. There is no grit on this team when push comes to shove. They just really get shoved.  

There seems to be a lack of leadership. When the Maple Leafs needed some emotion, there was none. They seemed to satisfied with the loss. When Marner, Matthews, Tavaras could not score, everyone gave up. Apparently, if you stop the big three from making a play, no one else can make it.  

The biggest problem—the elephant in the room—is a lack of depth on the defence. When Muzzin went down, it was catastrophic. There was no depth to replace him.  Let's face facts; no one wants to admit there is no easy fix. The frustrating thing is that this has been a problem for years. The Leafs had a weak defence this year, two years ago, three years ago, and so on. Yet the Leafs do not address this issue. Why? It is a casualty to the cap. They continue to pour money into the offence and have none left for defensive dept. Oh, they acquired defensemen and offensive d-men, but not the ones they needed. Trading Kadri was the right decision; what they got from the Avs was not. They need a stay-home defenseman. What they got was Barrie. He is a valuable player, but he is too sloppy in the defensive end. 

Until the Maple Leafs decide to fix the defence and bring in someone to help Reilly and Muzzin, expect the same old, same old. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It is time to clear out the deadwood. Should they cut Nylander? Marner? Get a top-six forward and a stud defenceman in return. 

Hard decisions have to be made. Does Dubas have what it takes to pull it off? 

Only time will tell. 

Live by the sword, die by the sword

 

Talk about a tale of two cities. Game three, the Maple Leafs found themselves up by three midway through the third. All the Maple Leafs have to do is tighten up a little in the defensive zone. The forwards come back to help the defence, and the defence doesn't panic, taking the man instead of the puck. So what happens the forwards spend too much time trying to score, throw the puck away, and everyone runs around like a chicken with its head cut off?  Sloppy play. The forward's hands turn into stone, the defence's legs turn to rubber, and bing bang a Maple Leaf special, and the Jackets win 4-3 in overtime. 

Remarkably this is not new; the cycle of life of a Maple Leaf fan is born.  The simple fact is that the leaders of this team, Reilly, Tavaras, Matthews, and Marner, have to settle this team down when they have leads. It is ok slow down the pace. An old friend of mine said it this way: you have to play to win, not to lose. Too many times, the Maple Leafs have played not to lose instead of to win. 

Change the scene. You would think the Jackets would learn from the Maple Leafs' mistakes. One of the greatest assets you can have is learning from other people's mistakes. The Jackets have a 3-0 with four minutes left in the third when suddenly the Jackets turn into the Keystone Cops*. The Maple Leafs score three goals in the four minutes to tie the game. Then, of course, Matthews tops it off in overtime. Yes, the Leafs have an explosive offensive team, making no lead is safe. The ability to come back from deficits is a valuable asset. The helter-skelter play won the Leafs this game. The Leafs have enough firepower to win any game. 

Watching the Maple Leafs play this kind of hockey in the last two games can be dangerous to our health, so my advice is to eat healthy. You don't need the dangers of your physical health matching your mental health.

*Keystone Cops:

Oh NO, Jake!

As I watched the game, it was tense. When Muzzin went down, all of the blood rushed to my head. As a Maple Leafs fan, I know how important Muzzin is. Without him, how many minutes will Reilly have to play? 30-35 minutes? 

Other defensemen are going to have to step up. Cody Ceci is going to have to take more responsibility and play with intelligence. Tyson Barrie will have to take on more minutes and play more responsibly in the defensive end. Barrie will have to think defensively first. Barrie has done better in the defensive play in this series. He still has to take it up another notch.  

Whether it is Rosen or Sundin, Reilly will have to take them under his wing and mentor them. Both are very young and will make mistakes. This is where Reilly, Ceci, and Barrie have to become leaders and bail them out.  Sundin is the closest to being an NHL calibre player. He has had some NHL experience and played well at times. Sundin will need a veteran with him, more than likely, Cody Ceci. Sundin is probably a better defenseman, but Ceci is a vet who can settle him down. For the Leafs to succeed, this will have to be a team mission, which means the forwards will have to come back to help out. 

Andersen has been a wall and will continue being a wall. He might have to be a house. Andersen will be asked to bail out his teammates again and again. Can he do it? Well, yes, but the better question is, will he?

Last Word

 

The best forward on the ice has been Matthews. He has to continue to perform. It was nice to see JT lend some support. The stars have to step in as it comes down to a best of three.

Randy

Eddie Shack Remembered

I was deeply saddened at the passing of Eddy "the Entertainer" Shack. Eddie was a fan favourite, always playing it up for the fans. And he loved the fans as much as they loved him. He will forever be known for his big boyish grin whenever he played. He loved the game of hockey, and the game of hockey adored him. 

When Eddie played, he was a spark plug. Anytime a coach needed a spark, off to the ice went Eddie. Shack was the blank disturber (family blog site) that every coach wanted and every coach hated. If there was another word that described the Entertainer, it was loyalty. Everyone knew where Shack stood. If you were a teammate, you were family. He went to war for his teammates and he would do anything to win. Eddie never took the glory for himself. He was always willing to share the glory with his teammates. 

Eddie played from 1960-67 in his first stint with the Leafs. Shack has four Stanley Cup rings to his credit. Eddie had some talent that I did not realize he had—I never knew Eddie was a 20 goal scorer. He beat the 20 goal total four times; once with the Leafs in 1965-66. I always thought he was a rough nasty forward, which he was, but apparently, he had some hands. His most goals in one season was in 70-71 when he got 27 goals.  

I could never do Eddie justice. I feel very inadequate trying to do so. I loved and respected the man for everything he stood for. He brought a smile to my face and made me forget the world for a little while every Saturday night. It was like he was representing the guy's guy and what he can do. 

I remember fans in the stand chatting "Eddie Eddie" because they wanted to see him play. I would be listening to the cheers when he came on the ice. I hear myself chanting "Eddie Eddie" now; only in a much quieter, more reverent voice. 

I will miss you, Eddie. You will always have a place, my heart.  

He is not leaving; he is just going home. 

Some of the Eddie Shack memories the ones I knew and loved.

Eddie Shack.

Randy 

The Maple Leafs: Are they done?

With the major deal, the Maple Leafs now have an outstanding backup goalie. Campbell has filled in very nicely and has shown the Leafs can win with him in between the pipes. Campbell's success is vital for the Leaf's success. The ability to rest Andersen from time to time is enormous. A rested Andersen is a good Andersen. 

Kyle Clifford brings the Leafs something they have lacked for some time. A big beefy Centre who can do some hitting back. The Maples Leafs have a rep for their lack of toughness. The acquisition of Kyle goes a long way to address this weakness. Kyle is mentally and physically tough. He is willing to go into the corners where no man has gone before. Okay, that is a little flippant. But you get the point. Before the trade, the question was, to quote Wendy's, "Where is the Beef?" 

As a whole, the Maple Leafs are improving their play. But they still need to clean up the defensive play in their end. There is still too much sloppy passing and panicking running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  The most prominent example was the Habs games. Campbell saved their buts again and again.

The Maple Leafs vets have come to play. Matthews has been a monster, probably playing the best hockey in his career. Tavares is doing what a leader does. Marner's skating has been picking up and he is making plays that the fans are taking for granted. Nylander is on a career year, skating like the wind. So there are a lot of positives right now. I am especially excited about Campbell's play. Having two goalies will be handy down the stretch.

Are the Leafs done?  Not by a long shot. They are primarily looking for another defenceman. With Ceci's and Rielly's injuries, that is their biggest need. 

Randy

Kasperi Kapanen's price is the moon

The Maple Leafs have received multiple expressions of interest in Kapanen. But with the emergence of Rasmus Sandin, there is not such a hurry to get it done. The Leafs are so pleased with Rasmus that Kapenen's price is no longer a song. In fact, the Leafs would take a three or very good four defencemen. The Maple Leafs want a hockey trade instead of a cap trade for two reasons. One is the cap; the other is the new sensation, Rasmus Sandin.

The Leafs feel once Morgan Reilly is back, they can live with the defence if they can not land a trade for Kasperi Kapanen. Jake Muzzin is back and should get the rust off soon. With Rasmus playing like he belongs, the Leafs are quite comfortable with their top six. Don't get me wrong; if they can find a hockey trade for him, they will. But they are willing to wait for it.

The Maple Leafs have inquired about Alexander Georgiev. They were told Kapanen+. The Maple Leafs feel the price is too high for now. I am sure they will return to see if the price goes down. They know they need an upgrade in the backup goalie area. Again, they are not going to mortgage the farm to acquire one.

There is a major concern with Andersen being overworked. Michael Hutchinson is going to have to improve his play so Andersen can get his rest in between starts. Or the Leafs may have to bite the bullet and pay the asking price.

There is a concern the team is playing to lose. Sheldon Keefe realizes there is a need to shore up the play in the defensive zone. Come playoff time, there will be a lot more focus on the defensive play. The defensive leaders, Muzzin, Reilly, and Ceci will have to set the example. The leaders on the forwards, Marner, Matthews, and Tavares, must continue to come back to their end. The defence needs support from the forwards if things are to improve. If Keefe can't get results the Leafs, they will have to explore the need for new defencemen sooner rather than later.

Randy

A little worrisome

There is some concern about what is going on in Toronto. Don't get me wrong; I love the fact that the Leafs are winning. But they're giving up way too many offensive chances in their end. There are too many defensive breakdowns; they cannot continue to win games 6-5 or 5-4. This gun hole game, defence leaving goalies out to dry may be fun for the fans, but it gives coaches headaches.

I love the way Matthews plays; he is a leader and needs to be. But even Matthews and Tavaras and Marner have to help out the defence by coming back to the defensive zone. The defence has to be more selective in pinching. Too many times, they are getting caught on two-on-one. Defence is a team game, and this team does not seem like they want to play it. I understand the Leafs are playing to their strengths, but the way they play won't cut it in the playoffs. Better to adjust now before it is too late.

It is nice to see Hutchinson winning some starts. This is essential for the Maple Leafs to be successful. Andersen has to have some days off now and then, or else he will burn out by the playoffs. I will go as far as to say that if Michael Hutchinson does not win some of his starts, the Leafs might not be in the playoffs. Right now, Michael might be playing for his career. Hopefully, he will be motivated by the Leaf's playoff chances.

The Leafs are busy trying to find another defenceman. The problem is the cap. The Leafs will have to be inventive to fit a player in under the salary cap. They might force the team into doing a trade instead of an add. The Leafs might have to do cash in-cash out. The deadline is coming and might put the Leafs into a bind in bringing in a hired gun.

Randy

Mr. Keefe, please come on down

What does Sheldon Keefe bring to the Leafs? He is a great young coach who brings in new blood. He is a winner with a proven system. He brings in a more defensive system and will teach the Leafs to be more defence-minded.

The biggest benefit of his system is that it will cut down on the shots on Anderson. Maybe he won't be a worn-out puppy dog by the end of the season. 

The Leafs' game will be less helter-skelter.  There will be less running around in their zone. The defence will get more support from the forwards, who will learn to be more defensively responsible.

The biggest change is that the core will support him. They will buy into his system. He will loosen the reins on the players. Matthews and Marner will have some say in the game.

Keefe talks to the players. There will be more give-and-take with the players.  A load will be taken off of Matthews' shoulders.  He won't constantly be looking over his shoulder to avoid contact. The players will listen and learn from Keefe, who doesn't rule with an iron fist. 

Generally, they will be happier playing hockey again. Less pressured. More freedom equals better results—hopefully.

The Leafs are changing

So the Leafs have lost Marner for six weeks. That is hard enough for them. Now the loss of Kerfoot for an extended time puts the Leafs into a tailspin. Whether you panic or not does not change the reality. 

Matthews and Tavares now have even more prominent roles. They will carry the load for the offence. Tavares has had this kind of role previously; we all know he was the man for years in Long Island. At least this time, he has some help from Matthews. Austin has to continue to be on a mission, and I have never seen him this good. He is showing why the Leafs drafted him. 

His skill with the puck is one of the best in the League. Being one of the fastest pure skaters is a great asset. But his hockey sense might be even more prominent in his repertoire. He is so slick with the puck; he has the defense still looking for their shorts while he is breaking in. 

As for JT, his skill was well manifested last year, scoring in bunches. He must (and will) lead by example, continuing to get the big goal when they need it most. His playmaking skills will be needed more than before. He will have to make sure of his passes, giving his teammates a better to succeed. John has been known to make his linemates around him better and will have to do this more efficiently. He does everything. He has a terrific, accurate shot. Tavares's best skill in Long Island was getting the puck to the sniper. He has not had to do that much in Toronto with Marner taking that role. Now that Marner is injured, JT will have to be the one ditching the puck. 

The secondary scoring will have to exceed expectations. Players like Zach Hayman, Kasperi Kapanen, and Andreas Johnsson have to be ready when called upon them. John Tavares and Austin Matthews's job is to get them scoring chances, and they will. Will the secondary execute on their opportunities? Only time will tell.

What to do?

The loss of Tavaras is enormous, but the Maple Leafs can still win without him. They have several options, the first one being simply putting  Keerfoot up as the second centre. I know this is probably the best option, but bear with me for a minute. I would like to see if they could move Spezza up in the slot. Spezza has been the go-to man in the past.

The Leafs have been playing pretty solidly without the services of Tavaras. The main reason is the emergence of Matthews. He has taken the load of this team and carried them. He is proving he is one of the best players in the game.

The defence has been weak at best. They are still allowing too many scoring chances. The Maple Leafs are making it way too easy for opposing teams to enter into their zone. They are making blind passes in the defensive end, panicking because of pressure. They must be more organized and better prepared in their end of the rink.

The forwards have to come back and help the defence. The must give the defencemen a target to pass the puck to and come back in the defensive zone. No more cherry-picking. We can't afford to be outnumbered in our end of the rink.

But generally, when you think of the disaster of what has happened with the injury to John Tavares, they have not done so bad. The Leafs have to keep their heads above water until John comes back. If they can still stay in the playoff hunt while John is injured, they will be a better team at the end of the season.

Randy

Maple Leaf Style

I understand the way Babcock coaches. I know it is his way or no way at all. I get it. They are expected to toe the line, or any other expression you can think of that I missed.  But there is a line. Or should I say, borderline psychotic? Seriously—the benching of Jason Spezza makes him look bad. Spezza started with the Sens. He had family there. It would have been nice to see Jason play that night. It is not like Jason has not earned his spot; he especially looked good on the second powerplay unit.

I have a feeling that Spezza was not Babcock man. To be more precise, Kyle Dubas pick to the Maple Leafs. But when a player has had the career that  Jason Spezza has, he should get a bit more respect.  Jason has taken on the role of the fourth-line centre. He played the penalty kill. He took on the role like a man.

As for the game itself, the Leafs are still playing too loose and leaving Frederik Andersen to his own devices. I understand Babcock saying the offence will have to win the games, but it looks like a rerun of last year. What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Yes, they won the game, I am just saying they need to tighten up in their own end. If the Leafs play like this, say in Tampa, they will get smoked. They can't afford the lack of discipline in their own end.

So how do we feel about the new captain? The Leafs could easily have picked one of four players; Matthews, Marner, or Rielly, and of course, Mr. Tavares. Tavares was the right choice. He is a leader by example. He makes everyone a better player. But the big story is on how Matthews accepted it. It is rumoured that he wanted the C.  Matthews could have whined and complained; instead, he took it out on the Sens. This hockey team has no issues with the leadership. The players have always put the team first and themselves second. If that continues, it might be an exciting season.

The Scoop on Mitchell Marner

I wish I had an update on Mitchell Marner, but unfortunately, I don't. So, here are my thoughts on why we need to get this done.  The Maple Leafs had two very good lines. I am sure that John Tavares would get his share of points one way or another; there is no doubt he would. But I am here to say that John would not have had a career year without Mitchell Marner.

Marner and Tavaras connect. If Tavaras is the coffee, Marner was the sugar and cream to go with it. Tavaras's success is vital to making the Leafs successful. John needs Marner giving him the biscuit to succeed.

Mitch was the leading scorer, with 94 points, and the leader in assists with 68. He was especially deadly on the powerplay, setting up Tavaras and Matthews on a one-timer. He is the best play-making forward on the team. No one can pass like him. Mitch is known for his hockey IQ; he is always thinking ahead. His job is to help Tavaras succeed as much as possible.

Marner is a gifted forward, but that is not his only asset. He is a leader who does what it takes to get the job done. He is tenacious in his play. He never quits; he expires his teammates to be better. Mitch is involved in every aspect of the game. If they are behind by one goal, he is on the ice making the pass to the player who has the best chance to score. But what makes Marner so valuable is he is also the one who is diving to block a shot — taking the hit to get the puck out and distributing the puck to the other forwards to the offensive zone.

The last point of getting him signed is what are the Leafs showing their fans if they don't get it done? When it comes down to it, who are the fans in a business? They are the customer, and it is the business goal to always to keep the fans happy. There is pressure on both sides to get this done. Management knows the Leafs' window is now. Marner knows they are the best chance for him to get his ring. The ultimate goal is the cup. The Leafs don't get that if they don't sign Marner.

The Leafs' Life is Never Dull

Let's first discuss the issue of the backup to Andersen?  The trade of Sparks pretty much opens the door for Michael Hutchinson. I really like Michael. I think he gives the Leafs a chance every night he plays. The Maple Leafs offering Michal Neuvirth a PTO might muddy the waters. Michal Neuvirth is a bona fide NHL  goaltender, who has been plagued by injury issues. I would still pick  Hutchinson, but the Leafs are exploring all their options, which is wise.

The Sparks trade adds an interesting twist with the David Clarkson contract. The Clarkson contract gives the Leafs more LTIR. Which means they need to bury only two cheap players to get as close to the cap as possible and get LTIR relief.  The Maple Leafs could use that to sign Marner on the second game of the season.

THE TRADE IS MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING—OR IS IT?

The Leafs and Blues consummated a trade that sent defencemen Andreas Borgman to the Blues for defencemen Jordan Schmaltz. Most people were confused, thinking the Blues were getting the better player. The Leafs feel Schmaltz is more ready to compete for the number seven defencemen spot. Borgman is the better prospect and needs playing time, which he might not get in Toronto.  Again, it is a small deal, but the Leafs are adding depth on the blue line.

Look for the Leafs to dump some salary if they can. The Leafs do not want to wait to sign Marner. They only took the Clarkson contract in case they need to go that route. It may be harder than they think to make cap room, but they are exploring every option. There are no worries in the Marner negotiations. He really wants to be a Maple Leaf.

What do the Leafs get with Muzzin?

What do you get with Jake Muzzin?  Another puck-moving dman who can play in his own end. It is a terrific move. He has dreamed of playing for the Leafs since he was a kid. Jake brings a stability to the defence that the Maple Leafs have not had in years. There were significant concerns that necessitated bringing Muzzin in. There was too much pressure on the offence to score four goals a game in order to win. Reilly has been begging for another defenceman to help him out. He can relax now that he does not have to be Superman.

Muzzin adds another element that a tremendous asset. The powerplay has been running stale. Adding another element might be just what the doctor ordered for the Maple Leafs. Gardenier may become available if the price is right. The Leafs have an all-in mentality; they can compete with anyone.

The danger now is that the Maple Leafs are connected to all sorts of players from Wayne Simmons to Colton Parayko. The Leafs feel they are one or two players away from the Cup. There are options for trade bait from the Marlies. Timothy Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin, and forward Jeremy Bracco are the top three best options.  Could Haymen become available for a bigger fish? The time is now. Tavas and Matthews have to take leadership. They need to take the bull by the horns. Hang on; it is going to be a wild ride.

Leafs: What now?

The Maple  Leafs had a very good game in Tampa.  True, they did not come away with the two points, but they did everything they could. Sometimes you have to give a goalie his due.

So how much do the Maple Leafs make a push for that dman? Are there hard feelings with the signing of Nylander? It took him right up to December 1st to sign, the date where if it was not signed, he could not play. So that being said, do the  Maple Leafs trade him for that defenceman? Or was there a gentlemen's agreement that he is there for the season?

It is common knowledge that the Leafs need improvement in their defensive zone coverage. Andersen is left to the wolves back there in his net too many times.  My question is, do we need to pick up another defenceman or can the Leafs just play better defence?  Outside Reilly, who on the Blueline can be responsible in their end?

Jake Gardiner is a concern, but in all fairness, he is getting better. Ron Hainsey and Travis Dermott are both okay, but still need to get better in their own zone. Igor Ozhiganov is young and learning on the fly. He has a ton of potential, but the payoff is still a long way off. Then there is the Russian, Nikita Zaitsev, who is a stay-home dman. Again, he is okay for a number four or five defenceman.

So I do feel the Leafs are looking for a number three responsible defenceman. What are some of the options? I would look no further than LA, but no not that one (Doughty). Jake Muzzin might be had for a price. It is only a matter of time before the Kings become a garage sale.

The other concern is Sparks. Is he a good enough backup goalie? His last start left something to be desired. There are some options between the pipes, including Isles' Lehner.  Another is that the Panthers has a serviceable goalie in Hutchinson. Unless you want one of the Flyers' three goalies.

FINAL WORD

Mr. Haymen exactly what were you thinking?   You are too good of a player to do nonsense like that. Hopefully, common sense comes to the forefront from now on.

Buckle up. It is going get bumpy from here.