The Toronto Maple Leafs have been sputtering. They are 1-4 in their last five games and are looking to change their ways in a hectic week. This club needs a major shake-up as soon as possible. Entering the season, the Maple Leafs were considered the team to beat in the Atlantic Division, but unfortunately, they have shown quite the opposite. The offence has been struggling except for the core four – the rest of the eight forwards have produced nearly nothing for the team.
This has a lot of people concerned, especially after the hype surrounding the team this offseason. Now, the Maple Leafs sit with a 6-4-2 record with 14 points in 12 games, which lands them in fourth place in the Atlantic behind the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Domi & Bertuzzi’s Lack of Production
When the Maple Leafs signed both Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi, the buzz was electric. The fanbase couldn’t have been happier; the newly-named general manager (GM) Brad Treliving had finally done what Leafs Nation had been asking for for years: he acquired toughness. Signing these two and Ryan Reaves, it seemed like Toronto would be the most physical team in the NHL and could also contribute offensively. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet. Aside from Reaves, Bertuzzi has three points and Domi has five for a combined eight points in 12 games, which is underwhelming for what was expected of them.
Unfortunately, Toronto is a tough market, especially when you aren’t playing well. Domi and Bertuzzi have been victims of criticism from the fanbase and media, which has been warranted, but there could be more to it than just their lack of production. The hype that surrounded them was so big that if they failed, their failures would be much more amplified. This is where head coach Sheldon Keefe needed to step up early and help them find success, but he didn’t. Instead, he pushed for more and eventually left Bertuzzi on the bench for long periods of time.
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When it came to Domi, Keefe put him on a line with David Kampf and Matthew Knies and didn’t waver until the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday (Nov. 6). It may not have helped – but if Keefe had changed the lineup to make Bertuzzi and Domi comfortable with their new team to start the season, their production may not have been so bad.
Treliving Should be Looking for a Shake-Up
Brad Treliving joined the organization with the idea that he would bring in some “snot”, and he made it happen by signing Bertuzzi, Domi, and Reaves. It looked like he had found the missing piece and they would be massively improved. Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs are struggling offensively outside of the core four, especially in their bottom six. The question for Treliving is, what needs to be done to help the team?
Treliving and the Maple Leafs should be looking for a major shake-up. Many teams are struggling, like the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks. All four teams have been disappointing, especially the Sharks, who have started the season 0-10-1. The Maple Leafs aren’t in the same boat as them, but something needs to change.
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It is hard to say what trades would make sense based on each team’s cap situation, but the San Jose Sharks would make an ideal trading partner. They are the worst team in the NHL and could be willing to take on salary for draft picks. Two players on the Sharks’ roster who could be of interest to the Maple Leafs are Anthony Duclair and Nico Sturm.
Duclair could provide the Maple Leafs with speed and scoring in their bottom six, and Strum could give the lineup a new third-line center alongside Calle Jarnkrok and Domi. Unfortunately, the asking price may be too high for the Maple Leafs to acquire both. Even if Treliving just targets Duclair, he would give the club a shake-up and potentially put them on the right path.
It’s hard to make a trade in the NHL, but it’s even harder when a team is in Toronto’s situation. They are considered a contender and must seek help from teams worse than them. This means they will need to pay a premium, likely a high-end draft pick or middle-to-high-ranked prospect. Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs need a major roster shake-up to ensure they don’t waste a season of their “win now” time frame, so let’s hope Treliving and his staff are watching the trade market, just in case things go south fast.