Quoting: leafs101
they have another top line winger coming, making a top line winger expendable if that's what they'd like to do. I'm confused as to why you mentioned Rielly- he's not going anywhere. This is just an option-doesn't have to happen. You could go the weegar-roy esque player route, or if you feel that you need a major shakeup, you could trade Marner for multiple cheaper (in terms of money), solid pieces.
Not saying this has to happen, but trading Marner, if fair value is presented, is at least an option that they have, and it's an option worth having at the very least an open mind to if the right set of deals were made available
By no means am I saying that in order to win you MUST trade Marner, but it is an option that they have to bring more balance to the lineup
But Leafs have 3 legit top line wingers. There is room for a Mikheyev, Kappy, AJ or eventually Robertson to grab that 4th spot and run with it.
I mentioned Rielly because I'm pointing out the fact that a 26 yo is the longest tenured Leaf by far, which shows how much turnover has already happened to this roster. Considering how much turnover has occurred it does not make sense to just keep on turning the roster over. Give this group a couple of years to grow. Let them have some stability with the same coach to see what they can accomplish.
Leafs are betting on star players to take them to the Cup. It's still way to premature to bail on that idea. Added bonus they've also been able to build up decent depth with the $3M fwds, Robertson coming and Dermott, Sandin, Liljegren coming to provide cheap depth.
Look at the last several Cup winners. How many of them traded away their star players along the way? How many of them suffered several playoff disappointments along the way, when they were favourites going into series?
I'm not sure why there is panic around the Leafs to take dynamite to their team after a playoff loss, when the successful teams never touch their core.