Toronto GM has made some just right strikes as they pertain to the present roster. Others, now not such a lot.
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A possible firing of Maple Leafs trainer Craig Berube shouldn’t occur with no take a look at the roster that normal supervisor Brad Treliving has built.
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It’s simplest early December, but it sounds as if glaring that the Leafs might be in a combat for his or her playoff lives for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Below no circumstance will have to Berube really feel protected in his process at this time.
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13 gamers stay from the whole roster of the remaining recreation of Sheldon Keefe’s training tenure in Toronto, in Might 2024 towards the Boston Bruins in Sport 7 of the 1st around of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After all, that crew contains the Leafs’ 3 highest present forwards — captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares — in addition to defencemen Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe.
Treliving has made some just right choices with the present roster. Others, now not such a lot.
THE HITS
Chris Tanev and Anthony Stolarz
Defenceman Chris Tanev tops the checklist of the good stuff Treliving has achieved in participant transactions, despite the fact that goalie Anthony Stolarz isn’t a long way off.
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Sadly for the Leafs, the most efficient days of remaining season for each didn’t elevate into 2025-26.
Tanev used to be the tone-setter for the defence corps because the Leafs received the Atlantic Department, offering an ideal mix of information, poise and savvy.
Stolarz now not simplest wiped clean up messes, he did so higher than another NHL goalie, completing with a .926 save share.
Tanev didn’t have a really perfect get started this season, however the truth of the subject is the Leafs have a great deal neglected him as accidents have saved him out of all however 8 video games. 4 years stay for Tanev after this one, with a median annual price of $4.5 million. Long, sure. Pricey, no.
A possible hitch relating to Stolarz is his four-year extension, which begins subsequent season. As soon as wholesome, his center of attention needs to be on returning to the usual he set a 12 months in the past.
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John Tavares
The re-signing in June of centre John Tavares to a four-year pact with an AAV of $4.389 million.
Glance, we all know this contract doesn’t occur with out Tavares’ absolutely clear want to stay with the Leafs. A miles larger payday would have awaited Tavares at the open marketplace.
Tavares had one level in 4 video games heading into Tuesday towards the Florida Panthers however, general, he has been very good.
We’re now not certain how deep into the Canadian Olympic group dialog he has put himself. What issues maximum is what he has achieved for the Leafs: Twenty-eight issues in his first 25 video games and a piece ethic this is unequalled.
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Oliver Ekman-Larsson
The signing of defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in July 2024 to a four-year pact with an AAV of $3.5 million.
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Some 18 months out from profitable the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, the 34-year-old Ekman-Larsson has been the Leafs’ steadiest D-man this 12 months and has made a powerful run to earn a place on Sweden’s Olympic group.
Ekman-Larsson performs with the type of snarl that different Leafs could be smart to emulate.
Steven Lorentz
Ahead Steven Lorentz earned a place at the roster a 12 months in the past after he used to be in coaching camp on a certified tryout, had a cast season and became his again on unfastened company, signing a three-year pact in June with an AAV of $1.35 million. It’s a just right contract for one the Leafs’ extra enthusiastic gamers and the group as neatly.
Troy Stecher
Claiming defenceman Troy Stecher off waivers from Edmonton on Nov. 15. Six video games represented a super-small pattern dimension, to make sure, however Stecher has equipped mobility and a few puck-moving from the again finish. Extra is wanted.
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THE MISSES
Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton
The deadline-day acquisitions of defenceman Brandon Carlo and centre Scott Laughton remaining March.
It’s now not simply what went the wrong way within the trades — Fraser Minten and a first-round pick out in 2026 to Boston for Carlo, and a first-round pick out in 2027 to Philadelphia for Laughton — that elevate some chew.
Minten, sensible past his years, has the possible to be the Bruins third-line centre for the following decade. A an identical function in Toronto differently used to be in his long term.
The Leafs may just finally end up retaining the first-rounder subsequent 12 months, because it’s top-five safe. With the Leafs’ good fortune, the pick out will fall someplace between six and 10 and the Bruins gets a blue-chip prospect.
Laughton and Carlo each have spent vital time at the sideline as a result of harm, but if they’ve been in, neither has made the Leafs a decidedly higher group.
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Carlo has been at the commerce block for some time, despite the fact that he received’t be going any place now that he’s out for a longer length with a lower-body factor.
Max Domi
Signing ahead Max Domi to a four-year extension, with an AAV of $3.75 million, on the finish of June 2024.
It’s the time period that appears worse with every week that is going through. As Berube continues to check out to determine the place Domi works highest within the lineup, the 30-year-old had 8 issues in 24 video games ahead of Tuesday. Domi refused to provide any perception into his benching remaining week, when he used to be a wholesome scratch for the loss on Friday in Washington.
Two years on the maximum would possibly had been palatable in a Domi contract. How is the contract going to appear every other 12 months or two from now?
Trio of summer season trades
That might be obtaining forwards Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua.
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It used to be just right that Treliving used to be ready to get one thing as a substitute of completely not anything because the Mitch Marner scenario got here to a head. When Roy used to be got from Vegas within the sign-and-trade, the pondering used to be the Leafs had their spine third-line centre. Roy hasn’t but only if.
On Joshua, we cling out some hope. If Joshua, got from Vancouver for a 2028 fourth-round pick out, can get constant self assurance, he has the scale and talent to make a distinction within the Leafs’ backside six.
Can’t say the similar about Maccelli. The Leafs despatched a conditional draft pick out to the Utah Mammoth with the hope that Maccelli would rebound after he used to be a wholesome scratch down the stretch remaining season.
It’s a conditional third-round pick out in 2027 that went the wrong way. The pick out is transformed to a second-round selection in 2029 will have to the Leafs earn a playoff spot this season and Maccelli data a minimum of 51 issues. He has 9 in 22 video games, so there’s no probability of that going down.
By no means thoughts that the Leafs already are in peril of lacking the playoffs.
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