In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll explore some of the latest speculations about the team. As the team gears up for the 2024-25 season, crucial decisions loom. These include what to do with the goaltending and potential trades involving the Maple Leafs’ young talent.
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The Maple Leafs face a series of critical choices this offseason. Moreover, as part of any strategy and player management discussion, questions arise about the sustainability of the team’s hockey philosophy under Brendan Shanahan’s leadership in today’s NHL.
Item One: While I’d Like to See Samsonov Stay, It’s Probably Better if He Left
In reviewing the Maple Leafs’ recent playoff season, as close as the team came, there was yet another year of gut-wrenching heartbreak for the fanbase. They should have had the Boston Bruins on the run and, in fact, almost did. The tipping point was the untimely injury of young goalie Joseph Woll.
When Woll entered Games 5 and 6, the team was down two games and on life support. Yet, Woll carried them to two straight wins and looked positioned to do it again. Unfortunately, he was sidelined by a back injury sustained in Game 6. As a result, Toronto had no choice but to return to Ilya Samsonov for the series-deciding Game 7. Samsonov’s efforts got the game to overtime, where David Pastrnak’s series-winning goal sent the Maple Leafs home for the season. It was another disappointing end for the beleaguered team.
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The truth is that I appreciate Samsonov and would like to see him stay. Yet, the reality of his performance and the logical fallout suggests it might be better if he moved on. His 2023-24 season was marked by inconsistency, including being placed on waivers and a brief demotion to the purgatory of somewhere (but not the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies). With his contract expiring in three weeks, he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA). Logic suggests that Samsonov and the Maple Leafs would benefit from a fresh start.
Item Two: Could Laurent Brossoit Be a Good Addition to the Maple Leafs?
The question now is who will step up to partner with Woll in the Toronto crease next season? There are several potential options. I like the idea of Laurent Brossoit. At 31, he would bring a 15-5-2 record and a .927 save percentage from last season with the Winnipeg Jets as Connor Hellebuyck’s backup.
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Brossoit would also bring a contract with smaller numbers to the team and allow Woll to become the de facto starter. So, why would Brossoit want to move from being a backup in Winnipeg to being a backup in Toronto? The answer is that, from his perspective, Woll is not Hellebuyck. He’s an unproven youngster, and as a 31-year-old career backup, he could play a more crucial role with the Maple Leafs than he did with the Jets.
While Brossoit remains a rumor, he would also seem to be a solid choice. His experience suggests that he’d be reliable enough to shoulder a significant role if Woll were sidelined.
Item Three: What Is the Future of Timothy Liljegren?
As the offseason unfolds, the Maple Leafs find themselves at a crossroads regarding the future of their roster. Defenceman Timothy Liljegren has encountered challenges adapting to the NHL pace and his defensive responsibilities. He’s been up and down, engaged in what seems to be an endless learning curve, and spending far too much time meeting the challenge of excelling in a top-four role. Still, he brings the potential to become a skilled puck-moving defenceman. But has he shown enough improvement over time to stay with the team?
General manager Brad Treliving must decide Liljegren’s fate this offseason. Liljegren becomes a restricted free agent on July 1. Has he demonstrated enough value to re-sign? Given the team’s dearth of right-side defencemen, you’d have to think they would re-sign him if they could land on the correct numbers. But, the answer to the question of whether he is part of their long-term plans becomes paramount as Treliving contemplates roster composition and potential trades.
What will happen with Liljegren as the Maple Leafs seek to fortify their roster, fix team weaknesses, and boost their competitiveness for the upcoming season?
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
One of the critical questions facing this team is whether there is something fundamentally flawed about the kind of puck-possession offence that arrived in Shanahan’s suitcase. It seems to have been with him since he came to leadership with the Maple Leafs.
How will the new coach impact the Maple Leafs’ success? Perhaps even with all the changes coming, whether this team can prosper with the players it has or whether significant changes are needed is the singular biggest question of the entire season. The team’s gameplay philosophy is under review. If the philosophy leaves, will Shanahan?
