What’s Next For The Leafs?

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Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka reshuffled his front office, scouting, and analytics departments late last week as much as he did the club’s roster on July 1, dismissing Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Leach, former Scouting Director Dave Morrison, Assistant GM’s Darryl Metcalf and Hayley Wickenheiser. 

The additions of Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime, and Zach MacEwen, and the trade for Nick Paul have succeeded in re-stocking the club’s bottom six, after the trades of Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann, Nick Robertson, the departure of Calle Jarnkrok, and the uncertain status of Max Domi.

The question now is whether the Leafs are looking to make moves through the month of July or will they settle into the summer slumber. 

The report that the Leafs made the best offer to veteran forward Claude Giroux  before he re-signed with Ottawa indicates that Chayka is still open for business, but what next. There continue to be reports that Patrick Kane will sign with either his hometown Buffalo Sabres or the Chicago Blackhawks, but the 37-year-old was connected to Toronto when the free agent window opened, and it is possible that he might circle back. 

Could the Leafs be the beneficiary of the Anaheim Ducks needing to clear out salary after the offer sheet matching of Leo Carlsson? Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is likely looking to ship out veterans like Alex Killorn or Chris Kreider for pennies on the dollar to clear cap space to re-sign 41-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier, and adding another veteran winger would bolster Toronto’s chances at returning to the playoffs. 

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the Leafs are hopeful to add another difference-maker, and there has been some chatter that they may have interest in Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn, if the Kraken decide to move him entering the final year of his contract, but that would be contingent on being able to move out Morgan Rielly, it is beginning to look like the window to potentially move the longest-serving Leaf has passed. 

Still looming out there is Zach Werenski. The detente between the Norris Trophy winning defenseman and Columbus GM Don Waddell has seemed to calm the waters after some wild speculation around the NHL Draft last month. There are some who believe that this calm is temporary and that Werenski could still be dealt, but the package that Toronto offered reportedly did not include Matthew Knies, and it is hard to believe that the Blue Jackets would accept a deal that did not include the 23-year-old power forward.