Post-Game Talk: 2023-2024 Leafs Roster/Changes/Turnovers & Replacement(s)

[thusk]

Yes, I did notice, particularly against Florida, that they often played their better defensive players against the Tavares line, and often almost ignored JT to swarm Willy.

I already said it by the past he was better against florida for sure... but at the end and still provideuch more offensive than the rest of the team and the favt he finally show some interest in second... that didn't erase his awful 1st round... and 1st 2 game he was not better... yes last 3 was probably the best leafs player... but he wait 8 game to start playing. i dont know how we can considerate him like of best player.

If you just took what marner and matthews did defensivly only vs tampa against kucherov/point ... if the kucherov line created like 5-6 goal unstead of 2... Toronto lost it in 5 game

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I still think Marner is our best player.
The amount he does in terms of PK goes unnoticed I guess.

Throw any of the other 3 on PK , see what happens. Matthews should be killing penalties with Marner (ala Berg/march) tbh

 

[AvroArrow]

I still think Marner is our best player.
The amount he does in terms of PK goes unnoticed I guess.

Throw any of the other 3 on PK , see what happens. Matthews should be killing penalties with Marner (ala Berg/march) tbh

I hate being that guy now, but playoffs. No one cares about the regular season. This teams biggest flaw is that management hasn't adjusted yet to build a playoff performing team. They are building this team with the expectation of getting proper officiating in the playoffs.

Like it or not, the playoffs have a completely different rule set. Yes it's complete horse shit but it is what it is. We can either whine and complain about guys getting held, sticks held, interfered, headshotted or we can just build a team that will compete and play a dirty "playoff game"

Basically what i'm trying to say is, management built this team with the expectation of the NHL actually calling the rulebook in the playoffs. That never happens and it's pretty evident it never will happen. So how do you win a cup ? Build a team that will cross the line, play dirty, hurt guys and score dirty goals. The league does not want skill/talent to shine, but instead this facade of tough physical players/teams. We can either adapt to that and build a team that can win under those circumstances, or we can whine about our guys getting elbowed, sticks grabbed, punched in the face, boarded without a penalty being called.

How that relates to Marner ? When these dirty tactics are implemented, they completely negate him. He just can't get it done and play through these dirty tactics, either bring in guys who can or we'll see more of the same next year.

 

[StuckOutHere]

Hope they go full Philly Richards/Carter and we build a new core behind Matthews/Tavares from the pieces.

 

[Jojalu]

IF this is true..I just can’t watch maple leafs hockey next season. Shanny has to be on crack to think that’s the way to go. That said, I’m finding it hard to believe given it was Dubas who put his career on the line for the core 4

Chris Johnston was saying that Dubas was ok trading one of them to help the team but it was Shanahan that wanted no part of it.

All this rumour and speculation and we will probably never find out the whole truth

 

[notDatsyuk]

You said we couldn’t surround them with the right vets from the beginning, they had Kadri and Hyman from the beginning and it didn’t seem to help much.

We also could have kept either one of them, Kerfoot + Jarnkrok/Holl vs Kadri/Hyman + Perry or a Marlie is the same money. We didn’t stop spending on middle of the lineup players when Tavares was signed, we spent on the wrong ones.

Just a different way of looking at it I guess. Did we keep the wrong ones because of poor choices, or because we couldn't afford the right ones.

I hate being that guy now, but playoffs. No one cares about the regular season. This teams biggest flaw is that management hasn't adjusted yet to build a playoff performing team. They are building this team with the expectation of getting proper officiating in the playoffs.

Like it or not, the playoffs have a completely different rule set. Yes it's complete horse shit but it is what it is. We can either whine and complain about guys getting held, sticks held, interfered, headshotted or we can just build a team that will compete and play a dirty "playoff game"

Basically what i'm trying to say is, management built this team with the expectation of the NHL actually calling the rulebook in the playoffs. That never happens and it's pretty evident it never will happen. So how do you win a cup ? Build a team that will cross the line, play dirty, hurt guys and score dirty goals. The league does not want skill/talent to shine, but instead this facade of tough physical players/teams. We can either adapt to that and build a team that can win under those circumstances, or we can whine about our guys getting elbowed, sticks grabbed, punched in the face, boarded without a penalty being called.

How that relates to Marner ? When these dirty tactics are implemented, they completely negate him. He just can't get it done and play through these dirty tactics, either bring in guys who can or we'll see more of the same next year.

I don't think it was necessarily 'dirty' play that negated him, but in the playoffs the teams were much more physical and gave him less time to be fancy, which is why he was making so many bad plays.

 

[AvroArrow]

Just a different way of looking at it I guess. Did we keep the wrong ones because of poor choices, or because we couldn't afford the right ones.


I don't think it was necessarily 'dirty' play that negated him, but in the playoffs the teams were much more physical and gave him less time to be fancy, which is why he was making so many bad plays.

Both IMO. He always gets scared to make plays after getting roughed up.

 

[GoonieFace]

Minor tweaks needed, let’s not get crazy with major changes. This is still the most talented team we’ve had and it only took 100+ years.

Talent doesn’t always equal winning though. It takes a certain type of athlete to win when it counts. Some just don’t have it. These guys don’t seem to have it. Try something different

 

[jiggy35]

Nylander + Bos 1st for Wilson + Wsh 1st

Assuming both players sign 6-8 year extensions along w trade (Nylander ~9m, Wilson ~6m).

Potentially get Reinbacher or another top D prospect with the 8 pick.

Who says no?

 

[mydnyte]

The Leafs couldn’t win with their soft and weak defence. Brodie needs to get traded and we need 2 strong with mean streak defenders and this will be a completely new team. Compliment that with a fresh sprinkle of toughness on the wings and they go from pushovers to bullies, and the cup favourite. Similar defence to this years and similar results no matter who we have up front

 

[notDatsyuk]

Nylander + Bos 1st for Wilson + Wsh 1st

Assuming both players sign 6-8 year extensions along w trade (Nylander ~9m, Wilson ~6m).

Potentially get Reinbacher or another top D prospect with the 8 pick.

Who says no?

If they can afford the cap and are still mainly focused on getting Ovi goals, Marner would be a better option on both sides.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

For all of Dubas faults he has left this team in a good position to take another step if the next GM isn't hasty and insistent on blowing things up (which based on Chris Johnston's reporting it doesn't sound like Shanahan wants either). Leafs have the cap space to make major improvements, but the current status of the Leafs isn't terrible. Leafs goaltending situation for one is the most promising it's been in a while with Sammy and Brick Woll guarding the pipes. Need to send Murray to Robidas Island to rectify that mistake and make room for our new dynamic duo in net.

On the defence the Leafs are still in a good spot but are getting older and need an infusion of young talent that is available. Rielly will hopefully have a healthier season and will bounce back, McCabe is already good and should improve with a full training camp and season to get used to the new coaches system. Big concerns are Brodie and Giordano, both of whom got exposed bad this postseason. At least Gio has the excuse of being close to 40, Brodie we've gotta hope was injured because he's too important still to take a step back next season. We also had a left-shooting defenseman ready to replace Gio but the organization decided to trade him for... reasons. Leafs will hopefully re-sign Schenn to continue to be a steady physical presence. Liljegren under a new coach should be given the chance to flourish and usurp Brodie as our best right-side defenseman. Timmins will need to be given opportunity to play and improve too as he's now the new Sandin in that he's a skilled offensive defenseman who needs work on his defensive game, though he has better physical tools than Rasmus does.

Outside of the organization there's not a ton on the free agent market. Orlov is the best name out there for sure but by nature of the market he'll be expensive. Gavrikov is also out there if you want someone bigger and meaner but it sounds like he and LA will settle on a contract soon. Leafs do have the Bruins 1st rounder and if they are able to send Murray to LTIRetirement, could use that to acquire a defenseman.

Up front, still have Matthews, Marner, and Nylander who can produce at an elite level. Would include Tavares but at his age I'm weary of a potential drop off despite how consistent he's been. Infusing Knies into this lineup will be huge given his skillset and offensive prowess. I still also have hope for Nicky Bobby turning things around (a new coach capable of cultivating young talent at the NHL level would go a long way). The bottom six right now only has Jarnkrok and Lafferty as locks to return. Of all our pending forward free agents Acciari is the one who I want back most. O'Reilly despite having similar strengths and weakness as John would be good to bring back as the 3C but he might price himself out. Kampf if he's willing to take another low cost contract I'd bring back, and if not Holmberg is ready to step in anyway and honestly we might be better off letting Kampf walk, it's not like he was all that great after Engvall left. ZAR was fine but I'd want someone with more physicality willingness to go to battle, like Simmonds but someone who can actually be an everyday NHLer.

Intriguing players outside of the team are thin much like defensemen. Bertuzzi and Killorn jump out, but Killorn's age and Bertuzzi's non-existent defensive game are both reasons to be cautious, but they each play a physical mean game we desperately need, especially in the top 6. Again, Leafs could/should dangle the 1st rounder from the Sandin trade for an upgrade up front. Whoever the Leafs target they have to have some bite to them, like the GM we're currently searching for apparently. Don't want/need another soft tweener, no offense to Kerfoot who capped off our stunning Game 4 comeback in Round 1.

The lineup I'd like with players I'd want to return to the Leafs looks like this:

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Marner
Robertson-O'Reilly-Acciari
Lafferty-Kampf-Holmberg

Rielly-Schenn
McCabe-Liljegren
Giordano-Brodie
Timmins

Samsonov
Woll
​

My what I feel pessimistic outlook on contracts for our UFAs and RFA Samsonov would leave the Leafs with roughly $5 million in cap space, enough for an impact forward or defenseman depending on who you want to target (the available money is even larger if O'Reilly walks). I'd personally use that money to go after a forward and increase the teams toughness up front, either via trade or free agency. I think with McCabe and Schenn on the back-end there's enough grit there that you don't need to go looking for it, if anything the target should be a high-end defenseman if you're going to look to improve the defence at all. If the Leafs can get a scoring forward with grit we'd be looking at:

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Bertuzzi/Killorn-Tavares-Marner
Robertson-O'Reilly-Acciari
Lafferty-Kampf-Jarnkrok

Rielly-Schenn
McCabe-Liljegren
Giordano-Brodie
Timmins

Samsonov
Woll

​

This lineup would provide the Leafs with ample skill, toughness, and youth that they so desperately need. Put a coach behind the bench who's got an actual clue and we're set.

​

 

[hockeywiz542]

Seven teams that could (and should) trade for Connor Hellebuyck

Elite goalies like Hellebuyck don't grow on trees and any team without a true No. 1 goaltender should be interested if he becomes available.

theathletic.com

What Connor Hellebuyck brings to a lineup, and why teams should be interested

Hellebuyck is a Vezina-caliber No. 1 goalie. Few teams can say they have that. Those that do, including the Predators, Lightning, Rangers and Islanders, had to draft and develop their own to reach that level.

While high-end goalies can move teams — take Linus Ullmark, Darcy Kuemper and Jacob Markstrom, for example — goaltenders of Hellebuyck’s caliber usually don’t.

Hellebuyck’s consistently been among the top goalies in the league at year’s end. He’s coming off a season where he earned a .920 save percentage. When accounting for the quality of shots he faced, the Jets’ No. 1 netminder saved a career-high 33.6 goals above expected. Relative to his workload, he’s been above average in six out of eight seasons; he’s been particularly strong over the last four years. This is a goaltender who can mask the defensive weaknesses in front of him, manage a busy workload in terms of shot and scoring chance volume and playing time, and can outright steal games. So he can fit on a lot of teams. Hellebuyck isn’t a goalie who needs to be sheltered at this point in his career or needs a structured team who won’t allow much back. The Jets have tested him, and he’s responded almost every year with an excellent performance.

That’s why teams should be interested in Hellebuyck if he becomes available.

The risk is that goaltending is such a volatile position we all — including NHL teams — could learn a lot about still. That can scare off teams from signing a player long term, especially a goalie who will be 31 years old when that contract starts. Someone of Hellebuyck’s caliber is rightfully going to command a lot on that next deal — more than his current $6.2 million cap hit, and very likely more than his actual salary for next year of $7.5 million. But can teams truly bet on his high level continuing through the life of his next, probably very expensive contract?

That’s going to be a key question facing any interested team, considering how some other big 30-plus signings have gone in net.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Like Vegas, the big question for Toronto will be ‘how in the world can they afford this?’ The Maple Leafs don’t have a ton of picks in the first few rounds over the next three years after busy deadlines. Then there’s the cap issue, pressured by impending raises to the likes of Auston Matthews and William Nylander in 2024 and then Mitch Marner in 2025.

But considering the pressure on this team, under new management that’s to be decided, to maximize these next couple of years before those costs rise (or players depart), there may be a desire to have more security in net.

Ilya Samsonov, who is a restricted free agent this summer, was better than expected in Toronto this year. But he doesn’t have a huge history to fall back on. Matt Murray, who has another year on his deal, was sidelined with injury a few times, and disappointing when healthy.

Maybe new management will want to bring change to the blue paint, and Hellebuyck obviously is the best option around. It’s just not very plausible without moving a big piece out to clear cap and bring back assets. But that doesn’t seem to be off the table just yet.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Seller Beware: Can the Toronto Maple Leafs actually win a trade involving the Core Four?

Florida’s Tkachuk trade is an exception. Historically, dealing a core star in the middle of your contention window is a...

www.dailyfaceoff.com

We weren’t in the room with Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas over the past few seasons when their relationship reportedly deteriorated as Toronto Maple Leafs president and GM, respectively. It’s thus difficult to assign blame for the erosion of what appeared to be a cohesive organizational power structure in their nine years working together. Was Dubas trying to overthrow Shanahan and take total power over personnel decisions? Did Shanahan’s emotional reaction to a request for a raise from his GM do irreparable damage to the franchise?

Questions like these are undoubtedly intriguing, but we don’t have enough information to speculate, despite the “open” address Shanahan gave last week, which clearly didn’t include every last detail. What we can say with a fair amount of confidence is that major changes are coming to this team. We already know a new GM will take over. It remains to be seen if support staff such as assistant GM Brandon Pridham and assistant coach Spencer Carbery get poached by other organizations. And many questions loom about the futures of Toronto’s star players, particularly the Core Four forward group of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander.

Will the incoming GM blow it up? We can’t say for certain, but we can hypothesize as to what comes next based on crumbs Shanahan left at the table last week. He mentioned in his presser that experience would be an “attractive” trait in the next GM. Sure, one could interpret experience in many ways, as internal candidates like Pridham have experience with the Leafs as an organization, but it’s more likely Shanahan was hinting at the experience of a seasoned NHL GM. That could mean hiring a veteran unattached to the current core and unafraid to demolish it.

If the Leafs lean in the direction of ex-Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving or, in a move that still sounds more like fan fiction than reality, St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong, it thus would reasonable to expect a trade of at least one star player.

But is that a deal the Toronto Maple Leafs can win? More specifically, is it a deal they can win in the present, reloading and still managing to contend?

 

[Duffman955]

How much does Mayfield go for?

 

[BlueForever75]

Marner, Brodie, Robertson, Samsonov and 1st Rnd (BOS)

for

Konecny, Sanhiem, Hart


Resign O'Reilly
Resign Bunting
Resign Acciari
Resign Schenn


Sign Soucy
Sign Monahan
Sign M. Wood

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Tavares-OReilly-Konecny
Bunting-Monahan-Jarnkrok
Wood-Acciari-Lafferty
McCann-Holmberg-Anderson

Reilly-Schenn
Sanhiem-Soucy
McCabe-Lilly
Giordano-Timmons

Hart
Woll

 

[hockeywiz542]

Toronto Maple Leafs News | The Star

The best Toronto Maple Leafs coverage from Star columnists and reporters. Get your leafs news, scores, game coverage and more from thestar.com.

www.thestar.com

It was almost five years ago that Kyle Dubas pulled off what was supposed to be his signature move in Toronto.

The now-exiled Maple Leafs general manager was in his new role for less than two months when he helped convince New York Islanders captain John Tavares to leave the only NHL franchise he knew and come home. Just 32 years of age at the time, Dubas desperately wanted to make a splash as a new GM and came up with a public relations dream — at least on the surface — complete with photo of a young Tavares in his Maple Leafs pyjamas.

Dubas brought back the star Leafs Nation wanted. All these years later, it’s worth revisiting whether it was the one they needed.

I remember working on the free-agent frenzy desk at Sportsnet on July 1 in 2018 and immediately questioning what this move would mean for re-signing Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. The budding superstars were destined to be the NHL’s next dynamic duo, like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane or Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But for some reason I got the sense that the chemistry of this team was thrown off.

Sports analytics departments continue to grow as the method becomes one of the primary ways management groups build their teams. Yet it’s still hard for me to believe some teams will lean so heavily on mathematical calculations and statistics when determining whether they have a championship-calibre group that’s ready to fight for the Stanley Cup.

Far too many aspects of success in sports can now be determined by a simple algorithm. But do the mathematicians developing these stats know what it takes to look each other in the eye in the dressing room and demand more on the ice? Call me old-fashioned but that’s real chemistry, and it cannot be undersold or taken for granted.

The Leafs never quite nailed that part this season, with coach Sheldon Keefe unable to find the right mix for his lines and defence pairings. Individually, the Leafs have great talent, but somehow it never meshed. In Keefe’s defence, the Leafs’ chemistry problems started long before he was behind the bench.

It always seemed to me that Tavares’s arrival altered the dynamics of the Leafs’ two young superstars. One of Dubas’s biggest mistakes was bringing in Tavares as a mentor to Matthews and Marner before having the two under contract and putting them in the right pecking order.

It must have been awkward for a young star player like Matthews to view Tavares as the leader when he’s lower on the pay scale, even if it is only $600,000 (U.S.). And, to be fair, Tavares has never tried to be the type of leader he’s not. Going back to his Islanders days, Tavares was never considered to be someone who would take a hands-on approach. His greatest strength as a captain has always been to set an example with his work ethic and ability to produce points. No one can question that in his five years in Toronto, either.

It’s also clear the seven-year, $77-million deal he signed was the major contributor to the demise of any cap space the Leafs had for a balanced roster.

In hindsight, the only chance the signing could have worked properly was if Dubas had stood firmly that no one was to be paid more than the future captain’s $11 million per year. But the Matthews camp had their way with the Leafs, and the dominoes began to fall.

Dubas caved to Matthews’ lofty, unprecedented demands of an $11.6-million average annual value on a five-year deal. Marner followed suit, pushing for more and receiving a $10.9-million AAV. In comparison Nylander, who was signed before all the craziness, is a bargain at $6.9 million a season. One can only imagine the contract expectations from Matthews and Nylander when they’re able to negotiate extensions on July 1.

The question is how do president Brendan Shanahan and his incoming GM fix this?

They might have to start by revisiting the two years remaining on Tavares’s deal. If this is where all the issues started, it may be the place to begin fixing them. It could get ugly quickly for the new GM, who might have to ask the 14-year veteran — who holds a no-move clause and told reporters after his team’s second-round playoff exit to the Florida Panthers that “my intention is to be here” — to think about being somewhere else.

With the ability to have multiple teams pick up portions of his contract, it is possible to increase the Leafs’ cap space by moving a good portion of the $22 million owed to the 32-year-old over the next two seasons. With his point-a-game production, he could clearly help a dozen desperate teams make the playoffs. The freedom of losing that contract would also allow the new GM to reset the pecking order in the dressing room with Matthews, Marner and Nylander at the top.

Instincts are needed in the Toronto head office this off-season, not analytics. There will be no mention of team chemistry in the stats but it’s the secret sauce when it comes to playoff success. Any player who has hoisted the Cup will tell you that.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Nick Kypreos also reports that it is sounding like there will be no “Robidas Island” for Matt Murray next season. Word is that, if Dubas had stayed on as GM, his plan for the goalie was to get him healthy and ready to compete for the net. Murray is owed $4.6 million by the Leafs next season.

 

[FerrisRox]

Avs fans wanted Kadri traded after his first year when he was suspended again in the playoffs and it looked at the time that the Leafs were right in trading him.

Kadri had 18 points in 15 playoff games his first year and Colorado and didn't miss a game.

It was his second season where he got suspended in the playoffs. I don't recall any fans calling for him to be traded.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Nick Kypreos also reports that it is sounding like there will be no “Robidas Island” for Matt Murray next season. Word is that, if Dubas had stayed on as GM, his plan for the goalie was to get him healthy and ready to compete for the net. Murray is owed $4.6 million by the Leafs next season.

Dubas sure knows how to pick goalies

 

[dubplatepressure]

Nick Kypreos also reports that it is sounding like there will be no “Robidas Island” for Matt Murray next season. Word is that, if Dubas had stayed on as GM, his plan for the goalie was to get him healthy and ready to compete for the net. Murray is owed $4.6 million by the Leafs next season.

what other choice did he have? lol

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

Marner to CAR for Seth Jarvis, Scott Morrow, 1st round pick 2023, 2nd round pick 2024
1st round 2023 (BOS), 1st round 2023 (CAR) to PHI for Travis Konecny
Murray + pick to XYZ for Future Considerations

Re-sign Acciari 3 year 1.6 mil
Re-sign Samsonov 3 year 3.5 mil

Sign Tyler Bertuzzi 4 year 5.5 mil
Sign Dmitry Orlov 4 year 6 mil
Sign Erik Haula 2 year 3 mil
Sign Corey Perry 1 year 0.775 mil

-------

Bertuzzi Matthews Nylander
Knies Tavares Konecny
Jarnkrok Haula Jarvis
Lafferty Acciari Perry

Call-ups: Robertson, Holmberg, McMann, Abruzzesse

Rielly Orlov
Brodie Liljegren
McCabe/Gio McCabe/TImmins

Call-ups: Vet UFA 8th D, Kral, Morrow

Samsomonov
Woll

Team has about 3.5 mil in cap-space. Could potentially take a 1 year flyer on someone like Pacioretty. But with the cap-space + Brodie coming off the books that's 8 million to give Matthews, Nylander and Jarvis raises after next season

 

[Magic Man]

Nick Kypreos also reports that it is sounding like there will be no “Robidas Island” for Matt Murray next season. Word is that, if Dubas had stayed on as GM, his plan for the goalie was to get him healthy and ready to compete for the net. Murray is owed $4.6 million by the Leafs next season.

They have Samsonov and Woll. The Marlies don't need an 8M dollar goalie. Kyper doesn't make sense on this one.

 

[thusk]

Leafs should go all- in with hallebyuck

Just watch florida this season
Tb or mtl last couple of year...
Rask/thomas
Quick

When youre able to have a goalie whos able to elevate his game at an elite level and stole you 1 or 2 playoff series by himself, thats drastically raising your chance to win the cup

Just bobrovsky this season, Caroline was the best team on the ice but Bobrovsky just too good, same thing vs leafs...the leafs had been the best team most part of thst aerie but Bobrovsky was much better than leafs Goalie...

If Toronto can get that kind of vezina/ conne smythe quality of goalie... nothing else can improve as much leafs team! So go all in with him if hes available

 

[notDatsyuk]

Toronto Maple Leafs News | The Star

The best Toronto Maple Leafs coverage from Star columnists and reporters. Get your leafs news, scores, game coverage and more from thestar.com.

www.thestar.com

It was almost five years ago that Kyle Dubas pulled off what was supposed to be his signature move in Toronto.

The now-exiled Maple Leafs general manager was in his new role for less than two months when he helped convince New York Islanders captain John Tavares to leave the only NHL franchise he knew and come home. Just 32 years of age at the time, Dubas desperately wanted to make a splash as a new GM and came up with a public relations dream — at least on the surface — complete with photo of a young Tavares in his Maple Leafs pyjamas.

Dubas brought back the star Leafs Nation wanted. All these years later, it’s worth revisiting whether it was the one they needed.

I remember working on the free-agent frenzy desk at Sportsnet on July 1 in 2018 and immediately questioning what this move would mean for re-signing Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. The budding superstars were destined to be the NHL’s next dynamic duo, like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane or Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But for some reason I got the sense that the chemistry of this team was thrown off.

Sports analytics departments continue to grow as the method becomes one of the primary ways management groups build their teams. Yet it’s still hard for me to believe some teams will lean so heavily on mathematical calculations and statistics when determining whether they have a championship-calibre group that’s ready to fight for the Stanley Cup.

Far too many aspects of success in sports can now be determined by a simple algorithm. But do the mathematicians developing these stats know what it takes to look each other in the eye in the dressing room and demand more on the ice? Call me old-fashioned but that’s real chemistry, and it cannot be undersold or taken for granted.

The Leafs never quite nailed that part this season, with coach Sheldon Keefe unable to find the right mix for his lines and defence pairings. Individually, the Leafs have great talent, but somehow it never meshed. In Keefe’s defence, the Leafs’ chemistry problems started long before he was behind the bench.

It always seemed to me that Tavares’s arrival altered the dynamics of the Leafs’ two young superstars. One of Dubas’s biggest mistakes was bringing in Tavares as a mentor to Matthews and Marner before having the two under contract and putting them in the right pecking order.

It must have been awkward for a young star player like Matthews to view Tavares as the leader when he’s lower on the pay scale, even if it is only $600,000 (U.S.). And, to be fair, Tavares has never tried to be the type of leader he’s not. Going back to his Islanders days, Tavares was never considered to be someone who would take a hands-on approach. His greatest strength as a captain has always been to set an example with his work ethic and ability to produce points. No one can question that in his five years in Toronto, either.

It’s also clear the seven-year, $77-million deal he signed was the major contributor to the demise of any cap space the Leafs had for a balanced roster.

In hindsight, the only chance the signing could have worked properly was if Dubas had stood firmly that no one was to be paid more than the future captain’s $11 million per year. But the Matthews camp had their way with the Leafs, and the dominoes began to fall.

Dubas caved to Matthews’ lofty, unprecedented demands of an $11.6-million average annual value on a five-year deal. Marner followed suit, pushing for more and receiving a $10.9-million AAV. In comparison Nylander, who was signed before all the craziness, is a bargain at $6.9 million a season. One can only imagine the contract expectations from Matthews and Nylander when they’re able to negotiate extensions on July 1.

The question is how do president Brendan Shanahan and his incoming GM fix this?

They might have to start by revisiting the two years remaining on Tavares’s deal. If this is where all the issues started, it may be the place to begin fixing them. It could get ugly quickly for the new GM, who might have to ask the 14-year veteran — who holds a no-move clause and told reporters after his team’s second-round playoff exit to the Florida Panthers that “my intention is to be here” — to think about being somewhere else.

With the ability to have multiple teams pick up portions of his contract, it is possible to increase the Leafs’ cap space by moving a good portion of the $22 million owed to the 32-year-old over the next two seasons. With his point-a-game production, he could clearly help a dozen desperate teams make the playoffs. The freedom of losing that contract would also allow the new GM to reset the pecking order in the dressing room with Matthews, Marner and Nylander at the top.

Instincts are needed in the Toronto head office this off-season, not analytics. There will be no mention of team chemistry in the stats but it’s the secret sauce when it comes to playoff success. Any player who has hoisted the Cup will tell you that.

I wonder about this "With his point-a-game production, he could clearly help a dozen desperate teams make the playoffs."

Half his points last year came from playing with one of the top PP units in the league, and most of the rest came from playing with either Mitch or Willy - two of the best right wingers in the league.

How many teams that are "desperate (to) make the playoffs" can boast any one of those assets, let alone all three?