There is no question that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to upgrade in just about every area of the team. Sure, there are some very good core pieces on the roster. But beyond guys like Auston Matthews, Jack Roslovic, William Nylander, Easton Cowan, and Gavin McKenna, Toronto could use improvements in every lineup spot.
But there’s one thing getting in the way: Tagging room.
And that’s to the Maple Leafs this season, the obscure salary cap rule has become widely known. It’s because of that rule that GM John Chayka’s hands are tied.
That’s the sentiment that insider David Pagnotta shared on the most recent edition of DFO Insider. Pagnotta pointed out that the Maple Leafs’ tagging problem is not even a problem for this season. It’s a problem that’s affecting the club’s moves looking ahead to next year.
“This is not an issue on their cap situation this season. It affects them based on next season’s salary cap.”
Of course, it was the Kirill Marchenko extension that triggered the bizarre cap crunch. And now, Chayka’s hands are basically tied.
“Until they move out guys that have term tied to next season… but for guys with term beyond this season, they have to clear something up. And they’ve been trying and nobody’s throwing them a lifeline.”
So, the Maple Leafs are in a spot where no one wants to take on their problem contracts. Likely, teams that have spoken with Toronto might be willing to oblige, but the cost would be enormous.
Maple Leafs Want to Land a Defenseman But Can’t Make Deal Happen
One of the main talking points surrounding the Maple Leafs is their desire to add another top-four blueliner. However, the tagging issue, along with this season’s salary cap implications, has made such a move nearly impossible.
“They’ve been looking to make a move for another defenseman, a top-four caliber defenseman, or a stay-at-home caliber. And they haven’t been able to do it because they guys they’ve been looking at have term.”
Hence, the tagging room situation precludes a trade unless, as Pagnotta stated, the Leafs can move a guy with term left on his contract out. The problem won’t go away by moving a UFA. It has to be a player with at least one more year left on his contract.
“Outside of Simon Edvinsson, who they wouldn’t even be able to pull off this season, if they signed him after acquiring him, they are looking at guys that have term primarily. And it’s prevented them from really getting too far along in a lot of those conversations.”
In short, the Maple Leafs haven’t been able to upgrade the team this season, and, by extension next season.
David Pagnotta explains how the Maple Leafs’ tagging problem is preventing them from making trades, including Toronto’s pursuit of a top-four defenceman.
More with @JeffMarek & @TheFourthPeriod on
Is There Anything Toronto Can Do to Clear the Tagging Room Issue?
The easiest way to clear up tagging room is to move out contracts. The problem is that the Maple Leafs don’t have contracts that any team out there might want. Pagnotta mentioned Dakota Joshua and Miles Wood as two examples.
But really, no one is going to want their contracts unless the Leafs threw in some sort of sweetener.
Therein lies the issue. What would Chayka be willing to pay someone else to take Wood or Joshua’s contracts of his hands?
It might come down to what happened with Patrick Marleau a few seasons ago. Then-GM Kyle Dubas attached a first-round in a cap-dump deal with the Carolina Hurricanes just to clear up Marleau’s contract.
That might be the only way that Chayka can get himself out of the corner he painted himself in.
Maple Leafs Face a Difficult Path to Upgrading Their Roster