With the first overall pick, a new coach, and a new management team, the options for what the Toronto Maple Leafs should do this offseason are endless.
If you were to ask fans at home, they’d never be able to agree on what the team should do… Is it to trade Auston Matthews and William Nylander? Is it to revamp the depth? To flip Morgan Rielly? All of these scenarios have been played out online by Maple Leafs fans and could be the decision the brand-new Maple Leafs General Manager, John Chayka, makes.
Today, we’re going to look at the Anaheim Ducks, who recently fell to former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in their second-round series. Some of their players could be a fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Ducks are NOT sellers
To make this clear, after the very successful season the Anaheim Ducks had, in which they finished third in the Pacific Division and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2017–18 season, they are not going to be sellers this upcoming offseason.
But, there were some surprising healthy scratches coming from head coach John Quenneville during the playoffs that the Toronto Maple Leafs should be all over if made available by Anaheim.
Mason McTavish
After being picked third overall in the 2021 NHL draft, Mason McTavish worked his way into being a player that Anaheim Ducks fans saw as a part of a bright future with players like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Jackson Lacombe. But only a few years later, Mason McTavish has found himself in a position where people are questioning if the Ducks are his best fit.
McTavish suited up for 10 of 12 playoff games for Anaheim, while being a healthy scratch in Games 2 and 3 in the second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. McTavish managed only one goal over those 10 playoff games, adding five assists, for a total of six points. It wasn’t a horrible postseason for McTavish, but you’d like your 23-year-old third overall pick to score more than one goal… something Maple Leafs fans know all too well.
The regular season for McTavish wasn’t anything special, potting 17 goals and 41 points through 75 games after missing parts of training camp due to a contract dispute with the Ducks. The team ultimately caved and signed McTavish on September 27th to a six-year, $42M extension, which carries an average of $7M per season. It was bold of the Ducks to scratch him in the playoffs… did they want to light a fire under him, or do they not trust him?
For a Maple Leafs team desperate to add a top-six forward, I believe they should be all over a guy like Mason McTavish. I don’t think the Maple Leafs would be afraid to take on his contract, especially with the term, but again, Anaheim isn’t selling. Maybe if the Ducks don’t believe in his ceiling, they’d be more willing to move off his contract, but it hasn’t been an issue for Anaheim just yet.
Olen Zellweger
Just like the previously mentioned Mason McTavish, Olen Zellweger was also selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL draft. At only 22 years old, he has already suited up in 164 games over three seasons, notching seven goals in each of the last two years.
Zellweger only managed to get into three of 12 playoff games for the Ducks, where he impressively scored late to tie it against Vegas in Game 5, but only notched two total points. It’s likely that Zellweger was banged up in the postseason, but who isn’t? It was rumoured that the Ducks were looking to add more experience to their backend, which led them to acquire John Carlson from Washington at this year’s trade deadline. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Anaheim re-sign the 36-year-old right-shooting defender, which could lead to a guy like Zellweger being available.
The Ducks might be inclined to keep the young defenceman who is set to become an RFA with Anaheim on July 1. If signing him as an RFA doesn’t work (the Leafs don’t own all their picks for the next couple of drafts), trading for him is the best option. But it takes two to tango.
A clear upgrade on the Maple Leafs blueline
I think this player archetype is something every Leafs fan can agree that they need. They’ve been lacking a puck-moving defender since the beginning of the Treliving era, and with their current crop of guys, it won’t come internally. There were rumours around the trade deadline about Anaheim being interested in a guy like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who the Maple Leafs held onto. Could there be a deal where the Leafs flip the more experienced cup champ for the younger product? I personally would love to see them hold onto a player like Ekman-Larsson, but if Anaheim still has interest, you need to take the phone call.
Big summer ahead
John Chayka and Mats Sundin first have to figure out what’s going on with Auston Matthews and who they want to select with the first overall pick, but I hope that when the dust settles going into July 1, the Leafs are able to target some of these healthy scratches from the Ducks, regardless of whether they actually do it or not. They are going to have an incredibly busy summer with plenty of roster changes on the horizon.
