The Toronto Maple Leafs recently made the biggest offseason headlines by firing Sheldon Keefe. The team, starting with the front office, needed a scapegoat for the lost season and the recent playoff failures, and they found one in Keefe. Now, all the pressure is on the executives, from team president Brendan Shanahan to general manager (GM) Brad Treliving, to get the Maple Leafs over the hump and build a Cup contender.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Shanaplan Still Not Canned After Decade of Poor Results
The reality is that the coaching change is only the beginning for the Maple Leafs. This roster will undergo significant changes. Whether it means they will move on from the core or overhaul the roster depth, they will make a few moves to provide a different look for next season and the future as well.
Likewise, a team that generally remains quiet will look to make roster changes in the New York Islanders. They have been going in circles for a few seasons now and will look to shift away from a veteran-heavy roster with a low ceiling. The Islanders have avoided splashy moves under GM Lou Lamoriello, but they could look to make a big trade of some kind this offseason, and the Maple Leafs are the ideal partner.
Islanders Will Look to Add Marner
Mitch Marner is the player everyone is talking about this offseason. The second round of the Stanely Cup Playoffs hasn’t concluded yet, and there are already trade rumors surrounding the star here, here, here, here, and here (by the time this article publishes, a few more pieces will probably be written about him). Of the core players, which include Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and captain John Tavares, Marner is the one who is the most likely to be traded, even with a no-movement clause attached to his contract.
The price tag to acquire Marner will be high. Bo Horvat was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Islanders for three pieces, and Jake Guentzel was a rental addition for the Carolina Hurricanes but required multiple players to be dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The bottom line is that elite players aren’t cheap, and the Maple Leafs, even without leverage because of the no-movement clause, will shop around. All they need are two teams that Marner wants to play for, and they will find what they are looking for.
The Islanders will have to give up a lot to land Marner, but he’s the top-six player they are looking for. With 194 goals and 445 assists in his career, he’s a pass-first player who creates scoring chances from the wing position. He’s the type of player who will make Horvat, Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, and the rest of the forwards on the top two lines better, and he’ll upgrade the offense as a whole.
Maple Leafs Attempt to Strengthen Their Defense
The Maple Leafs’ issues start with their roster build. They put all their salary cap space and resources into four forwards and never found an elite goaltender or, more importantly, a two-way defenseman to build around. Morgan Rielly is their top defenseman but he’s not an elite skater who can put this team over the top. Last offseason, they had an interest in Erik Karlsson, and once again, they will look for a defenseman who can do it all.
Noah Dobson would be their ideal target. The 24-year-old scored 10 goals and 60 assists for the Islanders while also contributing 4.5 defensive point shares and 180 blocked shots on the defensive end of the ice this season. The problem is that he’s one of the untouchables on the Islanders’ roster and is one of their building blocks for the future. However, the Maple Leafs might look to add other defensemen in a trade to strengthen their blue line.
Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are veteran defensemen who have been the Islanders’ defense staples. While they don’t open up the offense at the point, they shut down opponents in the defensive zone, making them both reasonable players for the Maple Leafs to target. Alexander Romanov is similar to someone the Maple Leafs would want as a hard-hitting, shot-blocking, and fast-skating defenseman. Still, they would need a convincing offer to sway the Islanders to move on from one of their better young players. The defensemen are available for them to upgrade their roster, but they have to find the one who can turn the unit into an elite one.
Maple Leafs Add Wing Scoring Presence
Kyle Palmieri is the skater the Islanders could reasonably trade this summer. He has one season left on his contract, and he could bring back a strong haul in a trade to help them reboot their roster. Sure, he’s one of their best scorers, but the Islanders, like the Maple Leafs, need a different look, and moving on from the veteran winger is a start.
For the Maple Leafs, he’s a top-six scorer they can add to their roster who would be a difference-maker in the playoffs. The team tends to struggle against elite defenses in the first round and having another shooter on the wing will go a long way in a playoff run. Palmieiri isn’t the big name that the Maple Leafs might be looking for, but he’s the type of player they need.
A Lot Depends on the Coach the Maple Leafs Hire
The real question is what direction the Maple Leafs are heading in following the coaching change. They will remain competitive, but will their next head coach be defensive-minded or focus on the offensive end of the ice? Likewise, will they hire a discipline-first head coach or one who plays a loose style? The next head coach will determine what type of players they’ll want on their roster and the subsequent trades they’ll make.
A lot of signs point to the Maple Leafs hiring Craig Berube, a strong presence behind the bench known for leading the St. Louis Blues to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. He’s the type of head coach who would want a well-rounded player like Marner on his roster, and thus, a trade involving him might be unlikely. However, Berube could look to move on from other skaters on the team, especially those on the later lines.
Likewise, Patrick Roy is the type of head coach who is looking for disciplined, two-way players who can impact the game in multiple ways. This makes Marner the type of player the Islanders would want to add this offseason. Likewise, Roy will look to make some changes to the Islanders, and this will be his first offseason to do so. It can result in a few key players on the move.