The Toronto Maple Leafs are an improved team this year. The defence corps is the best it’s been in the Auston Matthews era, and the goaltending is even more impressive. Mitch Marner is having a career season, and William Nylander isn’t far behind.
And yet, after two straight uninspiring losses, it’s glaringly obvious this team needs to make a change.
For years, one of the Leafs’ biggest issues has been secondary scoring. And it’s never been worse than it is right now.
Toronto needs to make a trade. Even the players coming back from injury won’t get it done, and to have a chance of winning the Atlantic Division, the Leafs star forwards need help.
Just how bad have the bottom six been?
It’s actually impressive how little production Toronto has gotten from the bottom six. Too many players are simply doing cardio when on the ice, not producing even the littlest bit of offence.
So let’s quickly run down the numbers.
| GP | G | A | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Domi | 19 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Steven Lorentz | 27 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Pontus Holmberg | 25 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| David Kampf | 18 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Nicholas Robertson | 23 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ryan Reaves | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Connor Dewar | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
These numbers are quite alarming, to say the least. Seven guys, who’ve played a combined 142 games, have scored six goals and 16 points. Like I said, it’s actually kind of impressive.
Now, some of these guys are definitely not paid to produce points. And honestly, a couple of them have played pretty good hockey. Dewar has been nothing but solid since coming back from injury, and seems like a staple for the fourth line moving forward. He’s forechecking and battling, adding some nice strength to the bottom six.
Same with Lorentz, who somehow has the most goals of any of the depth forwards. He also seems like a shoo-in for the fourth line heading into the postseason, someone who rises to the occasion under pressure and won’t make any dumb mistakes. He’s been the best member of this group so far.
As for the rest of them, disappointing would be an understatement.
Nicholas Robertson is surely going to be shipped out before the trade deadline, as he needs a fresh start like I need air to breathe. His play has dipped as the season has dragged on, and with zero assists through 25 games, it’s clear his style of play doesn’t fit in Toronto. While he’s been fairly unlucky at times, he doesn’t belong in the Berube system and cannot be an option for a team trying to win the Stanley Cup.
Holmberg has gotten the opportunity to play with the big boys lately, and has never looked more out of place. As a 4C, Holmberg can definitely be an option in a pinch. He’s defensively responsible enough, but is an absolute black hole in the offensive zone. With better options down the middle, namely Fraser Minten, Holmberg feels like another guy who should see himself on the outside looking in soon.
There’s only one guy whose usage has driven his failures, and that’s Max Domi. For some reason, after developing undeniable chemistry with Matthews at the end of last year, Berube hasn’t put them back together. This has pushed Domi down the lineup, playing with guys who do not fit his playstyle at all. Domi needs to play with scorers, not defensive specialists. He can still be a useful part of a Leafs playoff roster, if put in the right positions.
Ryan Reaves is the most straightforward: he’s just bad. A locker room presence for sure, Reaves is just not good at hockey anymore. He doesn’t even fight! I do think keeping him around for the person he is is fine, but he shouldn’t be playing more than a couple of games a month.
And lastly, Kampf is just a worse Minten. Yes, he’s defensively responsible. Yes, he’s a capable penalty killer. But there’s no reason to pay him over $2M when they have Minten—who’s already produced more than him—right there. Kampf is a playoff-calibre 4C, but his cap hit is working against him here. Use that money elsewhere, and Minten can run the fourth line.
What can they do?
As for trade options, at this point in the season, you’d have to make an offer a rebuilding team can’t refuse. That could mean shipping out Easton Cowan, Nikita Grebenkin, or one of the AHL goalies with draft picks.
Brad Treliving’s number one target should be Ryan O’Reilly. The veteran centre already proved he fits right in with Toronto, and would instantly fix all of the Leafs depth issues. Having Matthews, O’Reilly, and John Tavares down the middle, with Matthew Knies, Marner, and Nylander on each of their sides, would be incredible.
It would take a ton to get O’Reilly, but Cowan, picks, and more B-level prospects would be a solid initial offer.
Another team to look at is the New York Rangers. In a downward spiral right now, the Rangers should be open for business, and they’ve already told teams they’d be willing to move on from Chris Kreider.
Kreider isn’t a centre, but would be such a good fit in the middle six (or even top-line) in Toronto. He’s scored over 35 goals in three straight seasons, including 52 in 2021–22. With a hefty cap hit, sending Kampf the other way would probably be necessary.
Like with O’Reilly, the initial offer would have to be big. The Rangers probably aren’t looking for too many picks or young prospects, but Grebenkin would be a nice start. New York would surely ask for Minten, so that’s something Treliving would have to weigh.
Something has to change
Making something happen now will be difficult. Other teams know exactly the position Toronto is in, and won’t be giving them handouts. But Treliving has to make something happen.
The Leafs have their best shot of winning the Atlantic in years. To go on a deep playoff run, finishing in first would be quite a big help.
It’s more than tiring watching a make-nothing-happen bottom six for the sixth straight season, and it’ll bite the Leafs in the butt again if something doesn’t change.
It’s time for Treliving to go all in, and bring a difference-maker to the thin Leafs forward corps.
