The Toronto Maple Leafs… one team that may actually welcome a NHL lockout. The Maple Leafs have missed seven consecutive post-seasons; their last playoff appearance in the 2003-2004 season, the year before the 2004-2005 NHL lockout. With many top players becoming unrestricted free agents after this season, what impact will another unsuccessful season have on the Leafs for years to come?
The Leafs only acquisition worth mentioning to date, is the trade between the Philadelphia Flyers that saw forward James van Riemsdyk join the team in exchange for defensman Luke Schenn. The 23-year old missed 39 games last season for varying reasons. When healthy, however, the talented forward should net about 25 goals and about the same amount of helpers.
The move aides in offensive talent; the Leafs scored the 10th most-goals scored in the league last year. Paradoxically, the loss of Schenn’s defensive depth leaves more holes to be filled for a team that let in the second-most goals in the league.
The latter statistic brings focus to another area of concern; goalie. Jonas Gustavsson, who started the most games with 36 starts, has signed with the Detroit Red Wings. His departure gives James Reimer the starting role by default, and Ben Scrivens the backup spot. Reimer, who started 34 games, did not impress many fans. A mere 14-14-0 record with an unimpressive goals against average (3.10) and save percentage (.900).
“We are prepared to go forward on that basis,” General Manager Brian Burke told reporters. “If we can upgrade at the goaltending position, and at a reasonable price, we’ll do it. But we are prepared (to go with Reimer and Scrivens). I believe in James Reimer. He’s young, he’s athletic, I believe in this kid. If we have to start like that, we will.”
Burke’s comments shed light on the possibility of finding another goalie. The most probable option would be the currently-looking-for-a-new-starting-role Roberto Luongo. Luongo’s time as the Vancouver Canucks’ starter has come to a bitter end, giving way to Cory Schneider who signed a three-year, $12 million dollar contract this summer solidifying the starting spot. Luongo has spoken out about his want to sign with former team the Florida Panthers, but if it comes down to backup for the Canucks or start for Toronto, he may just end up a Leaf.
Burke joined the Leafs in 2008 as Interim General Manager with the goal of turning the team around. Today, the General Manager finds himself in the same mess that he walked into, and perhaps an even bleaker picture of returning the team to it’s once successful self; later than sooner.
The Leafs have seven of the top ten point getters becoming unrestricted free agents in the upcoming two seasons. In 2013-2014, Joffrey Lupul (25G, 42A), Tyler Bozak (18G, 29A), Clarke MacArthur (20G, 23A) and Tim Connolly (13G, 23A) become unrestricted free agents, while in 2014-2015 Phil Kessel (37G,45A), Dion Phaneuf (12G, 32A) and Nikolai Kulemin (7G, 21A) do as well. That is 31.1% of the points total for the first grouping and another 24.8% for the second grouping. Combined, these players equate to 58.2% of the goals scored, 54.7% of the assists and 56.0% of the total points for the entire Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has an important season ahead of them. Another bad season could turn them into sellers come trade deadline. Further, if many of the first grouping of key players sign elsewhere, does that make it that much more likely that Kessel, Phaneuf and Kulemin look for another team come their free agency?
