Brad Treliving Outlines One Key Area the Maple Leafs Must Improve This Offseason
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving explained that the team needs to address their offense on the blueline as they look ahead to the 2025-26 season.
This summer is going to be a very big indicator of how the Maple Leafs season will turn out. Are they going to cut losses with several players to bring in new ones, or end up calling this season a wash and focus towards adding big names next year?
Toronto going to look to add offense to their defense
Calling an end of season press conference, GM Brad Treliving discussed a lot about what the team needs to change, where he sees them at next season, and where things have to be addressed.
One thing he touched on however was Toronto's defense, and more specifically the offensive production they got. Only Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are the playmakers, and the team's lack of scoring on the blueline is frustrating to say the least.
Which is why Treliving is looking to inject some more scoring this offseason:
I like the length of our defense. I like the makeup of our defense but you still need to get up and down the ice.
Part of how we play will lend itself to giving up some volume. We need to get more offense from our defense. Not just scoring goals, we can get some volume another way.
In terms of personnel, we'll see. I like the D-core but we can't be rigid. We fell short. We need to look at ways we can get better. - Brad Treliving
Part of how we play will lend itself to giving up some volume. We need to get more offense from our defense. Not just scoring goals, we can get some volume another way.
In terms of personnel, we'll see. I like the D-core but we can't be rigid. We fell short. We need to look at ways we can get better. - Brad Treliving
Where can Toronto add some offensive help to their blueline?
If the team wanted to make a big splash for a true offensive force, they could splurge and try and acquire Erik Karlsson from their old pal Kyle Dubas.
With changes on the horizon for Pittsburgh, they might be trying to find ways to dump off their older players, and at 35 is still putting up greatt numbers.
Karlsson had 53 points in 82 games (11G, 42A) for a lowly Pittsburgh team, and his 870 career points in 1040 games is no doubt the top mark in the league. The issue lies in his monstrous $10M salary for the next two seasons.
If Toronto gets some serious salary retention, they could give Dubas a handful of young players to build around, while giving them a true power play and offensive quarterback.
Shayne Gostisbehere comes to mind, as he's only 32, still able to contribute (101 points over his last two seasons) and could feasibly serve as Toronto's PP quarterback if the team feels Morgan Rielly isn't suited anymore for that role.
He's in the second year of his three-year, $9.6M deal with Carolina, and while they might not be willing to part with one of their better assets; if they are making moves this free agency it might be a necessity.
Free agency is also going to be a heavily utilized market, and there are some cheap options available if they want to go that route.
Aaron Ekblad would definitely bring a certain nastiness to the team, and he would be a true presence on the back end.
Toronto has a severe lack of defensive shooters, and Ekblad isn't afraid to let pucks fly towards the net. He has a heavy, booming shot and could be a real x-factor when it comes to the playoffs as well; and not just offensively.
Ekblad has 380 points over his career (118G, 262A) and has reached double digit goals in 8 of his 11 seasons.
He could also bring that Panthers grit and aggressiveness to a Maple Leafs team slowly morphing their identity to follow suit.
Instantly becoming the team's #1 defenseman, he could be the difference between a Game 7 win or loss when it boils down to it.
But he's going to cost a LOT this free agency and is no doubt going to have dozens of interested teams. If the team wants to eschew next year's free agency and make it a win-now year; then Ekblad is worth splurging on.
A much cheaper alternative would be to try and snag Tony DeAngelo on the cheap, as the offensive defenseman is just coming off a league minimum deal, is only 29, he's a right handed shot, and plays hard like Craig Berube wants.
Putting up 19 points in 35 games after being signed by the Islanders from the KHL, DeAngelo is a reliable bottom-six offensive option who could easily quarterback the second PP unit.
Plus, it gives Auston Matthews another American ally to play with, and if the two can develop some chemistry, it might lead to a lot of success (and perhaps a rekindling of his goal-scoring ability).
DeAngelo has spent nine seasons in the NHL and has 229 points in 406 games with Arizona, New York (Rangers), Carolina, Philadelphia, and New York (Islanders)
| POLL | ||
JUIN 9 | 390 ANSWERS Brad Treliving Outlines One Key Area the Maple Leafs Must Improve This Offseason Who should Toronto add for offense on the blueline? | ||
| Erik Karlsson | 59 | 15.1 % |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 41 | 10.5 % |
| Aaron Ekblad | 260 | 66.7 % |
| Tony DeAngelo | 30 | 7.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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