The Leafs Need To Shake Up The Core

Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 25, 2020

Published: Feb. 27, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

This is not a rebuild, this is more like a re-design of the core and something like this would only happen if they don't get to, like, the third round.

That being said I think this is somewhat reasonable, although unrealistic. It could be argued the Leafs have too many high end skill players and no enough grittier two-way guys. Matthews Marner Nylander Kapanen and Johnsson are all players who I'd consider highly skilled but soft and weak defensively.

This is a team with far too much skill to have this little success. These ideas - bringing in two proven star defencemen in Pietrangelo and Ellis, as well as a veteran 2 way forward in Bonino as well as Alex Iafallo who I'd consider one of the league's best defensive forwards - create a large enough shake-up in the core that it should motivate and rejuvenate the whole team, and be a totally new Leafs team that is still very good now, but also is set up well for the future (I honestly think Reilly can become expendable by the time his contract is up as Rasmus Sandin will be very good and can fill his role on this theoretical second pairing for sure, Bonino would hit free agency giving enough money to sign both Hyman and Iafallo. The cap is expected to increase quite nicely after next season too which really helps). This team would be so good defensively, and would be extremely capable of creating offence from their defensive play and/or forecheck. If all else fails they have an outstanding goaltender capable of stealing games and a great defence to support him.

Ideally we're looking at a ton of minutes for this first line (20+ a game) which would be capable of not only scoring a ton of goals but also shutting down any other line. The second line is the skill line that I think would be counted on the most for goals and could see 1st-line minutes most nights. Bottom six will be relied on for energy and secondary scoring, as that top line is the shutdown line.

As for the defence I put Muzzin with Ellis and Rielly with Pietrangelo to balance size. I could see both pairs playing 22+ minutes a night - I'd trust the two pairs splitting the whole game but the third pair is quite good too. In the event of an injury on the blueline either Sandin or Holl could fill in no issue.

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