In an attempt to improve the caliber of players on his roster, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has been quite busy this offseason. Heavy lifting has been done, particularly on the blue line, and although the Leafs are still a work in progress, Toronto’s lack of depth at center may be the team’s worst weakness.
Treliving appeared to be focused only on the Maple Leafs’ back end at the beginning of the summer, as the team signed Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson with the majority of their budget space. The strategy worked well since the squad desperately needed a facelift, and the two veterans will be key players in the upcoming campaign as they attempt to hoist this team above the hump.
Treliving was also busy signing goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a multi-year contract in the hopes that he would be Joseph Woll’s ideal tandem partner. It’s anyone’s game to start opening night as the two inexperienced goalies will battle it out for minutes.
The Leafs’ major defensive flaws were addressed by the strategy of concentrating on the blue line and another goalkeeper. While Tanev and Ekman-Larsson will undoubtedly assist, Toronto still needs to add a center to their roster at this point in the offseason.
As of right now, David Kampf, John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and Pontus Holmberg are the Maple Leafs’ probable 1-4 Cs. Another alternative is Max Domi, who is signed for four more years, but it’s unlikely that he will play bottom-six minutes. As a result, if Tavares is lining up down the center, Domi will probably go to the wing for the time being. Fraser Minten, on the other hand, had a really good junior season and was given a cup of coffee in the NHL last season. He will probably push Kampf and Holmberg at training camp.
Other than that, Craig Berube doesn’t have many choices. At training camp, there should ideally be more internal competition, but as things are right now, that isn’t the case at all. Treliving ought to weigh his alternatives and try to bring in one or more more forwards who can play on the wing or down the middle.
Maple Leafs can choose from two different paths.
In what precise way can Treliving meet the need? Firstly, Nick Robertson wants to leave, and this might be the ideal method to do it.
Robertson has expressed dissatisfaction with his playing time in Toronto, and according on reports, his relationship with the team is not good. According to reports, he would love to be traded this summer. At just 22 years old, he has the ability to score 20 goals, therefore there is some value for a trade.
Although moving Robertson carries some risk, the Maple Leafs’ situation is not dire. While Bobby McMann, Matthew Knies, and Domi will compete for the top six left-wing minutes, Easton Cowan, Connor Dewar, Minten, and perhaps Alex Steeves may contend for the bottom six spots.
Robertson’s playing time is interchangeable, and he’s not really the best fit for a Berube-run hockey team given his style of play, height of 5-foot-9, and tendency to be knocked off the puck quickly. He’s traded for one of two things, ideally.
Treliving trades Robertson for an experienced right-handed center who can win faceoffs and kill penalties, or he swaps Robertson for a forward who is about the same age and seeking a change of scenery. Since Jason Spezza retired, Toronto hasn’t had many right-handed centers, so adding one before the 2019–20 season would help balance the lineup. A Robertson trade that addressed these two areas—timely faceoffs on their strong side and an additional penalty killer to add to the mix—might go a long way toward helping Berube even things up.
Regarding the secondary scoring, Knies seems poised to take on a larger role following his Stanley Cup Playoffs performance the previous year, so you shouldn’t worry too much about losing Robertson’s potential goal scoring. A dynamic forward with a stronger defensive mindset may be a great addition to this team.
Both the free agent market and the cap space are restricted.
With Jani Hakanpaa’s puzzling situation on defense and his unclear contract status, along with Dewar’s continued need for a contract for the upcoming season, the Maple Leafs’ estimated cap space is currently less than $1 million. Treliving doesn’t have much money to work with to build a center, as that’s probably Dewar’s money. Additionally, hardly much is available on the free-agent market.
Although he is only a part-time center and doesn’t kill penalties, Tyler Johnson is a potential but not the best match. Though he is not right-handed, Chris Tierney is a local who has demonstrated a remarkable ability to win faceoffs and assist kill penalties. He is one of the few choices to take into consideration. But is he an improvement? Unlikely.
Similar to Tierney, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare falls into the “best of the rest” category, therefore the Maple Leafs may decide to give him a professional tryout deal prior to training camp. However, at 38 years old, a player like Minten would probably be a better choice for the upcoming campaign. However, PTOs are free of obligation, so it’s a thought exercise that can be tried out at training camp without incurring any costs.
Ultimately, the Maple Leafs require the addition of a center. In an ideal world, he could play in the middle six, kill penalties, and win over 50% of their faceoffs. He is also right-handed. As the free-agent market has already been tapped out, trading Robertson will be the team’s best chance to add someone who can make a difference.
Why make the 22-year-old winger a Leaf if he doesn’t want to? Toronto’s wings have a lot of depth, but the same cannot be said about the middle. It’s time to redistribute some funds.
