Leafs biggest mistake was not making a big move sooner.*
They have a new coach right? That’s a big move, but I don’t understand why it took several years, and waited until AFTER extensions/NMC kicked in minimizing their flexibility
Why did they keep Keefe so long? Maybe recognized it was a player issue? So why not move the player? They have had an over abundance of skill scoring (not even “skill scoring forwards”. Skill scoring, condensed into a few players at the top of the roster for years.)
Marners current contract could fit a really really good defenseman and at least one depth scoring forward to mitigate some of the lost offense (as would the right defenseman). Probably could get a draft pick too since scoring forwards are infinitely more valued than solid defenseman, maybe flip some more pieces in the deal to make another trade for another depth forward or fine dman.
Or just Nylander pre-extension. There are really good defensemen still signing for less than 7 mil.
Looking at some of the other trades teams have made over the last several years, I just don’t believe that’s impossible from a creative GM.
You want to have faith in your players? Okay, fire the coach BEFORE you have no say in where your players go anymore.
They’d better hope Berube squeezes a solid ECF or Final performance this year or the noise should be fun.
*they did make a big move though. It’s not outside the realm of possibility they look way better in the playoffs this year, and so none of this will matter anymore. Though it wouldn’t erase the fact that they could have made such a move way sooner and presumably got more from the core