The Core 4 isn’t any extra in Toronto. Mitch Marner has been dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade, and the Maple Leafs don’t have any time to lose within the hunt for his alternative.
After all, changing Marner will likely be far simpler stated than carried out. He scores at a 100-point tempo each season, performs dependable protection and makes an influence on each particular groups unit. The Leafs will not discover one participant who does all that, however they will offset a number of the injury carried out by Marner’s departure.
One of many options is already on the roster and will likely be with the staff for the subsequent six years. Matthew Knies has potential to degree up, however he cannot fairly fill the void alone. Fortunately for Toronto, there are some clear options on the commerce market and in free company.
A pair of dynamic younger forwards within the Western Convention could also be on the transfer previous to the 2025-26 season, and the Maple Leafs can be a terrific touchdown spot for both one. In free company, which begins at midday ET on Tuesday, there are a pair extra gamers Toronto must be eyeing.
Let’s take a deeper have a look at how the Maple Leafs can go about changing Marner’s manufacturing.
Matthew Knies, LW, Maple Leafs
No matter what else the Maple Leafs do of their quest to exchange Marner’s manufacturing, the continued improvement of Knies is essential. Marner leaves behind a 100-point gap in Toronto’s lineup, so a number of individuals have to choose up the slack. Knies must be one in every of them.
As a 22-year-old, Knies broke out with 29 objectives and 29 assists in 78 video games. He’s on the upward swing of his profession, and there’s motive to imagine he may hit the 40-goal mark within the coming years. That is definitely what the Leafs are banking on as a result of they simply signed him to a six-year contract value $7.75 million per season. Can Knies keep away from hitting a wall if and when he’s requested to tackle an even bigger position?
Robertson might be probably the most intriguing possibility for the Maple Leafs. The Stars are lower than a million {dollars} beneath the wage cap with simply 10 forwards on the lively roster. That math does not work, and it means Robertson and his $7.75 million cap hit may be on the transfer, particularly since he’ll want a brand new deal subsequent summer time.
Over the past three seasons, simply 15 gamers have scored extra objectives than Robertson’s 110. He is a power within the offensive zone, and he can beat opposing groups off the push. Maybe the most important promoting level is that Robertson has already scored 40 objectives twice, and he is solely 25. Gamers like this are not often accessible within the prime of their careers, and if Robertson is in the marketplace, Toronto must be ringing Stars GM Jim Nill’s cellphone off the hook.
The Colorado Avalanche simply acquired Necas in the midst of final season, however he enters the final 12 months of his contract, and Joe Sakic is keen to half methods with key gamers in the event that they’re too far aside in negotiations. If Colorado does not suppose it could actually get Necas signed on a deal which will value almost $10 million per 12 months, would possibly the expert winger be on the transfer once more?
If Necas does get dealt, Toronto can be an excellent touchdown spot. After becoming a member of Colorado final 12 months, Necas rode shotgun with Nathan MacKinnon and posted 11 objectives and 17 assists in 30 video games. On prime of that, Colorado was dominant with Necas on the ice at five-on-five. With the Maple Leafs, Necas may slide onto Auston Matthews’ line, and people two may do some actual injury collectively contemplating the previous’s playmaking and the latter’s capturing potential.
Maybe one of many extra under-utilized forwards within the league, Ehlers is likely one of the prime free agent names in the marketplace. His velocity and offensive IQ are off the charts, and that makes him a terrific possibility for the Maple Leafs after shedding Marner.
In every of the final three seasons, Ehlers has endured felony utilization, enjoying lower than 16 minutes per recreation. Regardless of that, he managed to prime 60 factors in every of the final two seasons, producing at a ridiculous fee whereas on the ice. That sort of ability must be tantalizing for Toronto, particularly with Matthews, Knies and Williams Nylander already within the combine. Ehlers’ manufacturing skyrocketing in a Leafs uniform.
Whereas Boeser could not deliver the playmaking potential of Marner or the opposite gamers above him on this checklist, he can deliver objectives. He has scored at a 20-goal tempo in every of his full NHL seasons, and he hit 40 in 2023-24. That kind of manufacturing would assist offset a number of the injury incurred by Marner’s departure.
Boeser is thought to be a streaky participant, however he can rating objectives in bunches when scorching. Two seasons in the past, he by no means actually cooled down when he notched 40 objectives in 81 video games. The prospect of placing collectively Matthews and Boeser, a pair of gamers with rifles for photographs, is fairly thrilling. Like many different gamers on this free company interval, Boeser could wind up getting greater than his manufacturing is value, however Toronto wants one other prime six ahead.
