Zack Cook

Toronto's Heartbreaking OT Loss to Boston Bruins | NHL 5/4 Recap

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It almost gets tiresome talking about the same song and dance with the Toronto Maple Leafs and their core at this time of year. Although it had also been a common theme in prior early exits, the noise surrounding <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/players/mitchell-marner/3819" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitch Marner</a><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/players/mitchell-marner/3819" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>is deafening this time. Marner brings elite talent to the table, but his game becomes less impactful during the postseason when there's less time and space available.
It hasn't worked with all of this money tied up in four forwards in the past, and it's not going to suddenly start working next year, either. Although Marner controls the situation because of his NMC, the Maple Leafs can make him uncomfortable this offseason. Marner has one year left on his contract before he can explore free agency, and all signs point to Toronto not wanting to pony up the cash it'll take for him to stay. Marner represents the one significant way the Maple Leafs can reshape their core this offseason, even if it might be painful. Although Toronto will likely lose a Marner trade, the cap space they can gain from that must be weaponized to spread out the depth of talent on this roster. 
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Trade Mitch Marner

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When  <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/players/john-tavares/3812" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Tavares</a> signed with the Leafs in free agency, it was a move that added to a luxury of riches in Toronto's forward group. They didn't need Tavares, but you do it when you can add a point-per-game player in free agency who wants to come home. The issue is that Tavares took up a large chunk of cap space. If he truly wanted to set the tone in Toronto, he would have taken a discount to build a real contender with this roster. In saying that, how could you expect him to take a discount when the other core members didn't? With one year remaining on his contract, the Maple Leafs need a shake-up, and asking Tavares to waive his NMC to free up space and add an impact defenseman would undoubtedly classify as that.
Are the Maple Leafs ready to move on from their captain? Publicly, they might say no, but behind closed doors, it's almost certainly a move they're discussing.

Ask John Tavares to Waive His NMC

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Although Sheldon Keefe hasn't been part of the solution, most of the blame being placed on his shoulders isn't justified. The Maple Leafs star players have yet to perform up to expectations in the playoffs, and that's hindered his ability to get the most out of this team. You can certainly question the lack of adjustments on the powerplay in their series vs. Boston, but otherwise, it's hard to put a lot of the blame squarely on Keefe. In saying that, the Leafs need a coach who has won before and isn't afraid to diminish the egos of some of their top players. Craig Berube certainly fits the bill. Will Toronto make a play for a veteran coach? That's one change that's likely on the horizon. 
Deke the sportsbooks and score with SportsGrid’s free <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/picks">NHL Picks</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/player-props">NHL Player Props</a>.

Fire Sheldon Keefe

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With how the Maple Leafs have structured their salary cap throughout this era, they really have yet to have the ability to add a top-pairing defenseman to their roster. If either Marner or Tavares find themselves in a new uniform next season, it'll finally give Toronto more cap flexibility to go out and address their biggest need. Whether that is a defenseman like <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/nhl/players/brandon-montour/4054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Montour</a> is up for debate. Still, Toronto needs new blood on their backend, particularly someone who can move the puck, is open to physicality, and can play upwards of 22 minutes per night.

Sign a Top Pairing Defenseman in Free Agency

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The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Talk is cheap, and changes are needed for the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've heard it over the past five offseasons, and it's time that whoever ends up being in charge makes fundamental shifts. After how things transpired in this seven-game series against Boston, it feels different this time. It's hard to envision the same excuses being rolled out again. Changes are coming in Toronto, and whether that gets the team over the hump remains to be seen. 
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/"> SportsGrid</a>.

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Once again, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had another early playoff exit with their core. SportsGrid looks at five ways the Maple Leafs can revamp their roster.

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