The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in limbo at this point in the season. They’re clearly not a playoff team, but they’re not bad enough to be in Draft Lottery territory. While a turnaround is entirely possible, the chances of that happening are fading.
That’s why the Maple Leafs’ fate this season could come down to the next batch of games. That’s the message that insider Chris Johnston conveyed during an appearance on TSN’s OverDrive.
Johnston drilled down on the fact that the next five games will determine what direction the Maple Leafs take moving forward this season:
“They’re going to let this five-game stretch before the Olympics play out. I don’t think they’re going to make any moves in the near term… and then they’re going to assess over the break what the best path forward is.”
The situation here seems complex. Sellers are already shipping pieces out, leading up to the Olympic roster freeze on February 4. By the same token, buyers are already beginning to hedge their bets.
That’s something the Maple Leafs can’t really do at this point. They’re not in a position like the New York Islanders, who are clearly positioning themselves for a deep playoff run.
That’s why the club needs to be certain about the position it’s in before committing. Unless the Maple Leafs rail off five-straight wins, it’s pretty clear where things are heading.
Maple Leafs Lack the Pieces to Get Anything Done Anyway
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs don’t have the pieces to make any significant moves even if they wanted to. GM Brad Treliving used up most of the team’s dry powder last season in the trades that brought Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton.
This time around, the Maple Leafs don’t have first-round picks or attractive prospects to move. Beyond Easton Cowan, there really isn’t anyone who could move the needle significantly in Toronto.
The Maple Leafs painted themselves into a corner. That’s why, barring a trade involving Auston Matthews or William Nylander, the Leafs won’t be able to get much done anyway. It seems that whatever route the team takes, it’ll be win or bust with its current core.
Leafs Should Just Stand Pat
If there’s anything worse than making no deal, it’s making one for the sake of it. That’s one of the cardinal sins of GMs in every sport. That’s the trap the Maple Leafs fell into last season. Treliving felt he had to do something to load up against the eventual bloodbath that would be facing the Florida Panthers.
To his credit, the Maple Leafs almost pulled it off. They were the only team that posed any sort of significant challenge to the Panthers last season. This time around, just making the playoffs seems like wishful thinking.
As such, standing pat could be the best course of action for the Maple Leafs. There’s no real reason to go all-in. Betting the farm on someone like, say, Artemi Panarin just doesn’t make sense. Unless Panarin just lands on Toronto’s lap, the best thing might be to push back from the table and take things back up during the summer.
Maple Leafs Fate Down to Next Batch of Games