How many sales could the Toronto Maple Leafs be looking at?
Sportsnet: James Mirtle on the JD Bunkis Podcast on the Toronto Maple Leafs and why they should be sellers at the trade deadline, but the level of selling could depend on how they do in the six games before the trade deadline.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bunkis: “I think, from my standpoint, we have enough good examples that they’re not a contender. And the idea that they could make the postseason is not impossible for me.
But the idea that a group has as many flaws as they do, whether it’s their blue line and their inability to get the puck out. Whether it’s the up and down injuries. Whether or not that is the case, I would say there is inconsistent forward play from many of their different pieces. Or honestly, even like some of their goaltending, it hasn’t been as sharp as it was a year ago.
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That relying on this group to make some kind of deep run, or hold back at a trade deadline, instead of making sure you can get as much back as possible unless it really impacts your long-term future or your ability to compete next year, I think would be a mistake.
So the first question is really just that: Elliotte Friedman has reported that that winning streak hasn’t changed things. Are you hearing the same thing about Toronto still looking for a trader at the deadline regardless of the outcome of the games they play before that?
Mirtle: “I’m still, I’m a little bit, I think if they keep winning games it’s going to change the extent to which they’re willing to sell. If that makes sense.”
Bunkis: “Of course.”
Mirtle: “I think you’re right. I think you read right. Like Bobby McMann, no idea, get rid of him.”
But if they come out of this hiatus, there are essentially six games until the trade deadline. So there is still some time. It is, it is, I have it right in front of me. It’s Tampa, Florida on the way. Ottawa at home, and then you and then they have Philly, which is really struggling, New Jersey, and the Rangers.
Bunkis: “Really tough, like a hard slate, in terms of, if you want to sell, those aren’t the teams you want to see outside of Tampa.”
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Myrtle: “Yeah. I mean, I think they can win, they can win easily…”
Bunkis: “Four.”
Mirtel: “4-1-1”
Bunkis: “Yes.”
Mirtle: “They could go 4-1-1 in those six games, and you’ll roll your eyes at it, well, now we’re only up by three points. Or, like you said, Boston is vulnerable. But there’s just such a big pool of teams to compete against.”
The Leafs’ chances of making the playoffs are currently 20.21%, depending on which model you look at. So I think what you’re saying is exactly right, there’s a 20% chance you’ll get in, but then what are your chances once you get in? You’ll probably get Tampa who you’ve beaten in the past, but at best that’s a 50-50 series, and it only gets harder from there.
So I would just bet on a plan without hope if you don’t do some sort of realignment, recalibration here.
And what I would try to do at the deadline is take away some of the pieces that you don’t feel are going to be part of the solution next year. Is there a world where you can swap a Simon Benoit or an Anthony Stolarz, Dakota Joshua? Probably not, but at the deadline that’s what you want to look at, right?
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You go to the desperate GM who needs a goalie or who needs a physical winger who lacks the other pieces that are available, and you say, “Hey, what do you think?” And maybe you can free up even more cap space. Maybe you can get a third or fourth round back and have even more flexibility next year.”
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