If the Toronto Maple Leafs fail to go past the first round this season, expect significant changes in the offseason.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost in five games to the Florida Panthers after winning their first playoff series in 19 years the previous season.
They had a fantastic team, but Sergei Bobrovsky delivered one of the best goaltender performances in NHL history.
Many people expected changes after failing to progress past Florida, but no one expected former General Manager Kyle Dubas to be one of them.
According to reports, Dubas desired a larger role in the organization, and he appears to have lost his job as a result of a power struggle.
As we all know, Dubas finally got what he wanted from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and that
No. 1: Sheldon Keefe
Sheldon Keefe’s relationship with Kyle Dubas was a major factor in his hiring as the Leafs’ head coach, and now that Dubas is no longer there, I anticipate Keefe doing the same.
While it wouldn’t be astonishing, I’m not claiming he would sign with the Penguins and take Mike Sullivan’s job.
But if the club doesn’t succeed, I would expect Brad Treliving to remove Keefe and bring in a new coach.
Treliving’s option to appoint his own coach would be the simplest, and I would be okay with that as new general managers usually desire to do that.
If the same core remains, Keefe is a fantastic coach, and I have respect for him, but I believe they could use a fresh perspective.
It’s difficult to convey that message when the squad keeps producing the same outcomes under the same coach. Therefore, a fresh coach might infuse the room with a little spark and fresh vitality that could be beneficial.
The simplest and most likely course of action for the franchise, should they decide against moving away from its core, would be to dismiss Keefe. There are now a number of excellent senior coaches that would kill to be the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
No. 2: Mitch Marner
Marner loves playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and has a no-move clause, but perhaps he would waive it to try something different after another disappointing season?
Though dealing Marner looks like the worst decision ever, consider the benefits. I realize that sounds absurd.
This year’s NHL Trade Deadline saw the Buffalo Sabres acquire top-four defenseman Bowen Byram in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt. Although Byram isn’t the best defenseman in the NHL, he is still regarded as a legitimate top-four player and was only selected five years ago as the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
I bring up that trade because a team must be willing to move a top defenseman for Marner if the Colorado Avalanche were prepared to give up that for Mittelstadt.
Marner is due for a wage increase, which is well-deserved given that he has one year remaining on his deal, but I’m not sure it should happen in Toronto.
Many anticipate that John Tavares will accept a hometown discount to make room for Marner because his contract is also about to expire, but if it doesn’t work out this year, it might be best to move on.
The last thing I want to see is the Leafs trade Mitch Marner, but if they don’t win again, they need to make some changes. Moreover, Marner’s contract is about to expire, so this could be the finest opportunity to position the organization for the future.
No. 3: Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan’s six-year agreement is slated to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season, but he may not make it that far if the Leafs fail to make the playoffs again. Although he could be on his way out, Shanahan’s time with the team has been productive thus far.
Shanahan made a concerted effort to embrace the organization’s history and was likely the primary reason why the team ultimately elected to rebuild, allowing them to choose Auston Matthews.
Without convincing the MLSE Board to rebuild, the Leafs would have remained a below-average team with no future. However, he gave this organization optimism, and as a result, they have been a successful team for the last eight years.
That decision deserves a lot of credit because Matthews and company have given us incredible experiences over the last decade, but here’s why Shanhan may not make it to the conclusion of his contract.
MLSE has appointed Keith Pelley as President/CEO, who may be motivated to make some changes as he seeks to imprint his own mark on the business.
It would be a brave move to remove Shanahan, but sources indicate that Shanahan would now report directly to Pelley rather than the Board, as was previously the case, thus with a tighter grip on Shanahan, Pelley may wish to recruit his own President.
If the Leafs do not win the Stanley Cup, I do not anticipate Shanahan to stay much longer, especially given how he handled the Dubas problem.
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