The trade deadline has officially come and gone. The Toronto Maple Leafs sold at this year’s deadline, shipping out Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann, and Nic Roy. Brad Treliving decided that it was time to tank and forget about the playoffs. There is no doubt that that was the right decision, as the Leafs sit 10 points out of the playoffs and are second last in the Eastern Conference. Going forward, there are still some important games to be played. Star players must finish the season strong, and young guns must get some playing time. Let’s take a look at what a successful end of the season looks like for the Leafs.
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Matthews and Nylander return to a dynamic duo
The top two players on the Leafs have not been on the same level this season. William Nylander has by far been the best player on the Leafs, while Auston Matthews has struggled. Nylander currently sits at 59 points in only 47 games. In a fully healthy season, Nylander could have been in the midst of his best offensive year. Matthews currently has 26 goals and 52 points in 58 games. This is alright, but that 50 to 60 goal-scoring touch has been completely absent this year.
The Matthews and Nylander duo had its best season in 2023–24. They were absolutely dominant in the regular season, as Matthews scored 69 goals and Nylander posted 98 points. Unfortunately, like many other seasons, this one ended in heartbreak again, with a Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins. If the Leafs hope to get back into the playoffs next year, these two offensive stars need to carry the team.
The most alarming stats about this season have come from the power play. The Leafs power play currently sits at 19.3%, which is good for 21st overall in the NHL. Matthews and Nylander have both seriously struggled to produce offence from the power play. Nylander only has five goals and 13 points, while Matthews has four goals and 11 power play points. Matthews has nearly always been a double-digit scorer on the power play, so this should be something they look to improve on to end the season.
Play any relatively young players
With the chances of making the playoffs basically behind them, now is the time for Toronto to play all of its young players. This mainly speaks to Easton Cowan, Nicholas Robertson, and Dennis Hildeby. All three of these players have gotten opportunities to play consistently, but now they should be full-time players. The Leafs do not have many great young prospects, so they have to run with the young guys they have.
Cowan has had a decent rookie season in the NHL. He was the Leafs’ top prospect who absolutely tore it up in the OHL. Cowan was part of some fantastic London Knights teams that won back-to-back OHL championships and the Memorial Cup. Turning straight to the NHL was a significant jump. Through 48 games, the rookie has eight goals and 19 points. Going forward, the rookie should get continuous top-six ice time and power play minutes.
Nicholas Robertson has always had scoring potential. To this point in his career, it seems like he may only have third-line potential. If he wants to change that narrative, it needs to be done in the last quarter of the season. With Bobby McMann, Nic Roy, and Scott Laughton gone, hopefully, Robertson gets more of an opportunity to show himself. Goaltender Hildeby has lately been with the Toronto Marlies. I think the Leafs should call him up to finish out the year. He is a potential goalie of the near future and has a solid .912 save percentage through 19 NHL games this year.
Tank for the draft
With the Leafs being as bad as they are, the only choice they have is to tank for the rest of the season. The bad part is that their first-round pick for this season is in the midst of some conditions. This pick was originally part of the Brandon Carlo deal with the Boston Bruins, but it is top-five protected. This means that if the Leafs finish in the top five picks of the draft, they keep the pick. If not, it ends up going to Boston.
The Leafs currently sit ninth last in the NHL. To get a top-five pick, they certainly have some losing to do. On a brighter note, the Leafs have a decently tough schedule to end the season. They play tough teams like the Islanders, Sabres, Wild, Canadiens, and Hurricanes. Then have multiple games against the Ducks and Senators. These will be must-lose games going forward.
In the big picture, the Leafs were going to have to tank again eventually. Of all the seasons, this is definitely one that could be worth it. The talent in the upcoming NHL Draft cannot be ignored. Having a chance at drafting Ivar Stenberg, Gavin McKenna, or Keaton Verhoeff would be a fantastic addition. This would be the most significant pick in Leafs history since Matthews way back in 2016.
Do you think tanking for the remainder of the year is worth it?
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