Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 12, 2020

Published: Aug. 12, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Before I showcase and explain this armchair team, I want to make 1 thing clear. Until the Leafs make some noise in the Stanley Cup playoffs, I will always be on the "Trade Marner" bandwagon. I just don't think it's right to keep the guy who handcuffed his own team by asking for the highest and most unreasonable salary possible, plus he didn't play particularly well this season which set them back even further. I also think Marner could use a change of scenery, cuz even during the nights where he is giving a good effort, he just doesn't look like he has any confidence.

However, Elliot Friedman did say that Kyle Dubas wants to give the big 4 one more season to figure it out. Whether that's true or not, I decided to create an armchair team looking at how the team can possibly be improved under this scenario.

First, I traded for a defenceman. There are a few different options but I decided to go after Erik Cernak. Just a big body player who is great at preventing scoring chances as well as moving the puck out of his own end. His quality of competition is pretty high, so I feel putting him with Muzzin on a shutdown pair should work. I could only afford to keep 1 of Dermott and Holl. I chose Dermott because he's younger and has more potential. I also felt he played better in the playoffs as Holl had trouble handling the speed of the Blue Jackets in transition, but either would work.

While I'm not a big believer in size and physicality, I do think this team could use more guys like Hyman who just forecheck the opposition relentlessly, retrieve pucks and generate an offensive zone cycle. Even the 2016 Penguins, who were the definition of a finesse puck possession team, had a few guys who could play that type of style such as Chris Kunitz, Carl Hagelin and Conor Sheary. In order to make room for these players, I traded Kasperi Kapanen, who didn't have a great playoffs but I feel on a team that needs right wingers, he could establish himself as a full time top 6 player. He seems to be too straight line to play the possession game Keefe wants to play. I had to trade Johnsson as well to fit under the cap.

I probably overpaid in the trades but these are the players I'd target in this armchair thread. Overall, I think this team has all the pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs as their defence is improved plus they have the right complimentary forwards, so if they disappoint again, major changes need to be made to the core.

What'd y'all think?

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