Since David Pastrnak ended the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season on May 4, the franchise’s leadership has declared that all options are on the table to break their playoff slump. Their sole action so far has been to fire head coach Sheldon Keefe and hire former Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube. However, this move alone is likely insufficient.
General manager Brad Treliving has three critical tasks to complete before training camp opens next fall.
Task #1: Resolve the Marner and Tavares Situations
There are three possible options for each player.
Option #1: Sign Them to Extensions
It’s unclear what Mitch Marner or John Tavares want to do, and there is no definitive news from either of their camps or the Maple Leafs. Rumors about Marner vary widely. He may have waived his no-move clause, or he may not have. He may want to leave Toronto, or he may want to stay. We must wait for Marner’s decision.
If Marner wants to stay and the Maple Leafs want to keep him, his next deal will likely be between Auston Matthews’ $13.35 million cap hit and William Nylander’s $11.5 million. If he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer, he could command a salary similar to Matthews’, but this won’t happen with the Maple Leafs.
Tavares, who wants to stay with the Maple Leafs, saw a 20% drop in points production this past season. At 33, he could receive a substantial short-term offer as a UFA next summer. To remain with the Maple Leafs, he would need to take a significant pay cut from his $11 million deal, likely to around $6 million.
Option #2: Let Marner and Tavares Play Out the Upcoming Season as Rentals
While getting assets in return for players on expiring deals is preferable, letting Marner and Tavares walk in 2025 would free up $22 million in cap space for the Maple Leafs.
Keeping them as rentals gives the team one more shot with the current core under new head coach Craig Berube. A new coach might bring out the best in Matthews, Marner, and Nylander, who have only played for Sheldon Keefe during their mature years.
Option #3: Convince Them to Waive Their No-Move Clauses
If Marner and Tavares are told they’re not part of the team’s plans, they might waive their no-move clauses. This could allow the Maple Leafs to get something in return and address their defense, goaltending, or both.
Before anything else, the situations with Marner and Tavares need to be resolved.
Task #2: Rebuild the Team’s Defense
Currently, the Maple Leafs’ defense looks like this:
– Morgan Rielly – Jake McCabe
– Simon Benoit – Conor Timmins
– Two from: Cade Webber, Topi Niemela, Mikko Kokkonen, Noah Chadwick, William Villeneuve, Nicolas Mattinen, or Marshall Rifai
Other than Rielly, McCabe, Benoit, and Timmins, the rest are likely AHL players. Ideally, the left side would consist of Rielly, McCabe, and Benoit, but the right side lacks depth. The only signed NHL-caliber right-handed defenseman is Timmins, who struggled to make the roster last season.
Timothy Liljegren, a restricted free agent (RFA), could be another option. He has shown promise in a top-four role but has also struggled. Liljegren might not fit Treliving’s preference for big and physical defensemen.
After resolving the Marner/Tavares situation, bolstering the right side of the defense should be a priority.
Task #3: Figure Out the Goaltending Situation
Joseph Woll is a candidate for one of the goalie positions, potentially even the starting job, if he remains healthy. The Maple Leafs must decide whether to rely on Woll, seek a backup like Martin Jones, or sign a bonafide #1 goalie. Ilya Samsonov is unlikely to be re-signed.
If Marner and/or Tavares waive their no-move clauses, it would free up cap space for a top goaltender. Dennis Hildeby, who had a strong rookie season in the AHL, could be a third option, able to move between the NHL and AHL without clearing waivers.
Bottom Line for Maple Leafs GM Treliving
These three tasks are crucial for Treliving to address before the next season. Successfully handling these issues will position the team for regular-season success.
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