Toronto Maple Leafs' summer check list will be a lengthy one
Many questions include how the front office shapes up and what to do with free agents Marner, Tavares and Knies
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In their long, tortured history of telling themselves and fans “wait ‘til next year,” rarely has a summer looked so uncertain for the Maple Leafs as 2025 does.
Still reeling from a shocking letdown against the Florida Panthers in a conference semifinal series they led 2-0 — almost 3-0 — lost three straight and rallied only to fall apart on home ice in Game 7, the internal review will be a long one.
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Toronto Maple Leafs' summer check list will be a lengthy one Back to video
Postmedia takes a look at the most important storylines the next few months:
WHO’S IN CHARGE?
No shock that club president Brendan Shanahan suffered the consequences after his blind faith in the team’s nucleus to show up at playoff time was dashed yet again.
Keith Pelley, the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, a $12.5 billion-dollar company with the Leafs at its heart, took some heat for not firing Shanahan a year earlier when the former took command. But a ninth straight great regular season, by team and individual standards, was contrasted by failure to exceed the second round. It gave Pelley no choice when it came to renewing Shanahan’s expiring contract.
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Rather than replace his president, Pelley is leaning towards eliminating the position, a management structure he seems to prefer with all MLSE’s major league properties. At his May 23 media conference, Pelley said for the foreseeable future that general manager Brad Treliving would report directly to him, also stating second-year coach Craig Berube could have more say in personnel matters, too.
Pelley, whose background was sports business and broadcasting, is ready to take on much of Shanahan’s non-hockey related duties, while intending to let Treliving and Berube attend to the roster.
However, the potential for conflict is if Pelley meddles in personnel decisions — for example, he might ask his GM to acquire a player who’s a personal or fan favourite.
The last MLSE exec to be this close to hockey operations, Richard Peddie in the early 2000s, meant well, but was out of his depth with contract and trade talk. Pelley assured the media he’s going to stay far from ice level and it might be that he uses this summer and the ‘25-26 season to assess Treliving before reconsidering his next executive move.
Still to be determined is what the hierarchy looks like above Pelley, as Rogers Communications — led by Edward Rogers — solidifies its hold after buying out Bell of its share of the sports conglomerate last year and whether Edward asserts more control on hockey.
The Leafs masthead under Treliving already is unwieldy. Five people carry the title of assistant GM within their other duties: Brandon Pridham (contracts, salary cap), Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser (player development), Derek Clancy (player personnel), Ryan Hardy (minor hockey operations) and Darryl Metcalf (hockey research and development). Shane Doan also is a special assistant to Treliving and streamlining is expected somewhere.
WILL MITCH MARNER MAKES TRACKS?
A key piece of the Core Four, right winger Marner will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Just as patience ran out with Shanahan, Marner’s string of playoff struggles — including just two assists in six Game 7 losses — likely will see him denied the big money the GTA native seeks to stay a ‘Leaf for life.’
Marner had hoped for a bump in pay to between $13 million and $14 million US, but the Cup-starved Leafs already take up four of the 12 highest cap hits in the NHL.
Even with the NHL salary cap going up, Marner would have to take a heck of a hometown discount to stay and he always was likely to test free agency anyway.
WHO CAN REPLACE MARNER?
If he walks for no return (the Leafs were interested in a Marner for Mikko Rantanen swap at the trade deadline with Carolina that Marner vetoed with his no-movement clause) the Leafs have to replace his 100 points.
A new first-line right winger would have to be found for Auston Matthews, who won two Rocket Richard Trophies in part because of great chemistry with Marner.
There’s another in-house 40-goal winger in William Nylander, but the Leafs will investigate a trade or free agency, perhaps spreading Marner’s money around to two or three new players.
WHAT’S A GOOD FIT FOR JOHN TAVARES?
The former captain did his best to live up to his seven-year, $77-million contract despite it being a major cap issue.
Now a UFA, it’s a matter of how much money Tavares is willing to give up and stay in a projected lesser role at age 35. He, too, excelled through the winter, but was largely neutralized as playoffs intensified.
There is the chance he looks elsewhere to work, too, but he already has made a major move home with his young family.
WHO’S ON THE FREE-AGENT SHOPPING LIST?
The Leafs loaded up on the Cup champion Florida Panthers this time last year (goalie Anthony Stolarz, defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and winger Steven Lorentz) and there are a few Cats set to roam again.
Oh, the irony if one or more long-time antagonist forwards Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett or defenceman Aaron Ekblad returning to Canada in blue and white — Bennett and Ekblad hail from Ontario.
Two prominent right wingers from other Canadian teams were unsigned as June arrives. Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets and Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks were not considered locks to return to their old clubs, the Canucks actively trying to deal Boeser at the deadline.
If Tavares does not return as the No. 2 centre or takes a less prominent role, there are some options in the middle with younger birth certificates.
Matt Duchene, who is from the Leafs’ back yard in Haliburton as part of the prolific 2009 draft class, made his name in the West with the exception of two years in Ottawa and had a renaissance year with Dallas. His name also has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens.
If Brock Nelson is not retained by the Avalanche after they outbid teams such as the Leafs at the deadline to secure him from the Islanders, it’s thought his first wish would be to play in or close to his home state of Minnesota.
Mikael Granlund has also been part of the Stars’ playoff push and is enjoying his most productive post-season in the NHL.
ARE LEAFS IN DANGER OF LOSING MATTHEW KNIES?
A breakout year for the young left wing thoroughbred, a restricted free agent, will spark some chatter about an offer sheet.
But Knies already has indicated he’s not interested in moving and, if he were, the rising cap and potential space created if Marner leaves should allow Toronto to match. Knies is a key building block for Treliving to show the Leafs aren’t stagnating at the top of the roster.
Also facing RFA status are forwards Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg and minor league goaltender Dennis Hildeby. A year ago, a frustrated Robertson wanted a trade, but proved his worth as a scorer, albeit mostly in games after he had been sat out a spell. Thus, it’s unclear how much the Leafs would want to commit to him.
After becoming a favourite of previous coach Sheldon Keefe, Holmberg impressed Berube, too, but surely the Leafs could find a bottom-six replacement if need be. Both Robertson and Holmberg are arbitration eligible.
WHO ARE TORONTO’S PROSPECTS?
Easton Cowan, a right winger not built that differently from Marner, has lit up the OHL for a few years including scoring titles and multiple trips to the Memorial Cup with the London Knights. Until now overshadowed by another high pick, Fraser Minten — who was traded at the deadline to Boston for defenceman Brandon Carlo — Cowan can now make his mark as a Leafs regular or have a dominant season on the farm with the AHL Marlies.
Defenceman Ben Danford of the Oshawa Generals, selected 31st overall last year, has another year of junior to go. There’s a chance Marlies’ top scorer Alex Steeves (36 goals in 59 games) makes the roster at wing next autumn. Hildeby, the 6-foot-7 ‘Hildebeast,’ still has some mental and technical growth to achieve behind Stolarz and Joseph Woll.
WHAT IS THE DRAFT OUTLOOK?
It has been important that Leafs scouts uncover gems such as Knies at lower selections because their first-round picks have been mostly traded in recent years. At present they have no top selections and just two in the second round between now and 2028.
WHO IS IN THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE?
Those UFAs unsure to return include winger Max Pacioretty, who proved he could still make a playoff contribution at age 36 after years of injury issues, but might not want to be away from his large family.
Lorentz made the team on a PTO and is a great fit, but big defenceman Jani Hakanpaa was only able to play two games with his ongoing knee concerns. His reserve spot could go to Dakota Mermis if he re-signs.
UFA Matt Murray might continue as a low-cost depth goalie. The experiment of signing Alex Nylander to an AHL deal to play with his brother lasted just a few games and he’s an RFA.
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