Team: 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 9, 2024

Published: Apr. 11, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

For those wondering how the hell I found the time and motivation to make this, all you need to know is that you can type a lot of stuff in a hour and a half English period when you're listening to a Shakespeare audiobook.

On the topic of this team, the question of whether the Leafs will sign Bert or Domi is really unknown right now, and I chose to keep Domi because he'll likely sign for less and plays a more important role on the top line. If Lyubushkin doesn't sign for 2.75 mil then bite the bullet on the D core and let him walk. From there you can use that money to make sure you either retain less on Gourde, get a better backup goalie, or bring back Bertuzzi.

Forward core breakdown:

Line 1) Gourde - Matthews - Domi
Ideally the Leafs would try to bring both Bert and Domi back next season, but if one has to be sacrificed, Bert would likely cost more to keep around, and Domi's playmaking is vital to his chemistry with Matthews. Assuming Bert leaves, trading Robertson for Gourde seems like the right move as the fit he brings over Robo on the first line as well as the penalty killing is virtually perfect.

Line 2) McMann - Tavares - Marner
The hope here is that Tavares doesn't regress much and McMann continues to look like he has this season. A full 82 games of Marner with Tavares feels like the right move when you consider the line plays like they were put together in chel's chemistry system, but instead of being straight wrong, it seems to be the most well put together forward line on the entire team.

Line 3) Knies - Minten - Nylander
This is the Nylander line, simple as that. Nylander is an incredible player with the puck on his stick, but when he doesn't have the puck you can't even see the skill gap between him and Holmberg. This isn't trying to discredit what Willy does, but explains why he needs his own line separate from Marner, Matthews, and Tavares. On this line, Knies can generate rebounds and scoring chances as a net front presence and board battler while Minten can work on winning faceoffs at the NHL level and be a responsible two way guy that gets open for quick shooting chances. Nylander gets most of the puck possession and can skate around the ice opening up passing and shooting lanes, maximizing his value and getting the most out of his linemates.

Line 4) Holmberg - Kampf - Reavo
Times like these, I pray Reaves was a decade younger so that I wouldn't have to worry about regression. This line and the same line with Dewar when Holmberg got promoted to the 3rd line are undoubtably my favorite iterations of the Leafs 4th line in recent history. We get to see an actual NHL heavy weight playing with the greatest defensive duo in NHL history, even if they have a combined offensive iq of 4 they have to be the most annoying lineup to be matched against in the entire league.

Pair 1) MoBoosh
Reilly/Lyubushkin is one of the only pairings where I've actually felt like we get to see the best of Reilly. Similar to the Nylander line earlier, Reilly needs a partner who can push guys out in front and who cover him on defense. If Lyubushkin needs more money and Bert doesn't take the rest of the team's cap, keeping Boosh around is the right move.

Pair 2) Benny and the Cabe
Benoit and McCabe are the best shutdown pair the Leafs have shown all season, Benoit being a crucial shot blocker and physical presence, and McCabe being probably the scariest looking defense on the team (re: that one time he was bleeding all over his face and more focused on the missed call than his blood loss) while also being a physical shutdown Dman that can play either side. All this in a pair that costs under 4 mil is crazy value.

Pair 3) Liljeddy
I won't lie that, in the moment, I thought the Edmundson pickup was stupid, and was not the move the team needed, but literally the first game he played he's become arguably my favorite Dman on the team. The sheer assholery that he play with when he throws his weight around or when he's pushing someone from the front of the net is peak playoff hockey, and a guy I want on my team. Liljegren just can't seem to find anything he excels in on the ice, he just kinda does everything ok, he just seems to do the opposite of whoever his linemate is. Liljegren with Edmundson provides enough defense that Edmundson can maximize his tough playstyle while Liljegren can be good enough on defense to not be a liability, and good enough on offense that they can be deployed along any forward core with limited stress.

Starter) Woll
Woll had a rocky return since his injury, but he's still a solid goalie who's only 25 and is finishing up his rookie season and has looked like a solid starter since the start of the season. Sure, Sammy has looked great since his return, but chances of him returning after last season's salary arbitration and the team's lack of salary are virtually gone, and it's not likely the Leaf's would have the money to pick up a goalie better than Woll with the money they have in general

Backup) ???
I chose Talbot considering he's a solid vet that works as a cheap backup, but honestly you can choose any goalie who's a cheap short term option.

Scratches/Callups) Jarnkrok, Timmins, Hildeby
Jarnkrok is a swiss army knife of a player who can play wherever you need him, but he's somewhat overrated in the sense that he doesn't win faceoffs much making him a weaker option at center, and with guys like Knies, McMann, and (in this case) Gourde all provide more forechecking and physicality than him on the left wing, and the right wing is stacked with Marner, Nylander, and Domi, there's just no space in the top 9 where you can feel like he's the best player available at that position.
Timmins is a weird player imo, because he's smart and good at moving the puck, making him a solid offensive defenseman option, but his defense is subpar for a defenseman and he always looks like he doesn't know where to be standing on the ice, just very weird positional awareness in how he knows where other guys will be but not where he should be. He's a 7th defense on a good team and being scratched here reflects that.
Hildeby will be the 3rd option in net. He got called up this season after some goalies went down with injuries but never had a chance to play, now he can be a call up to play some games if the starters get injured. I'd also like Jones to return as a 3rd stringer, but the team doesn't really have money to be throwing at alternate 3rd stringers.