Friedman's 'broken spirit' report signals 3 bold trades to spark a Maple Leafs resurgence
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs' non-response to the Radko Gudas hit has confirmed what Toronto's front office already knows - this roster needs a few major moves this summer or their rebuild will never get off the ground.
On Saturday's Headlines, Friedman touched heavily on the Gudas hit that put Auston Matthews out for the season, but the focus wasn't on the hit itself but the reaction of Matthews' teammates.
That type of response is unacceptable especially when it's your captain, and according to Friedman it's going to lead to a lot of changes in the Maple Leafs locker room come next season:
The response, or rather non-response of the Maple Leafs after the Gudas hit is something that the front office recognizes and will no doubt have ramifications on the future direction of the team and where it goes in the future.
As it should. There's no excuse to let your captain who just got maimed lay there with no response. Gudas got kicked out but the Maple Leafs should have been dragging him back onto the ice to enact some revenge. It's that serious.
But with changes on the horizon now for sure, there are three deals Toronto has to get done in order to have any shot at a bright future.
Moving Morgan Rielly is the first step to building a championship-calibre blueline
When Rielly was asked why he didn't act quickly when Matthews went down he simply brushed it off as not paying attention, and that 'he didn't know what happened.'
That type of inaction and lack of accountability from a 13-year veteran and lifetime Maple Leaf is no longer acceptable, and coupled with declining production and a monster contract; if Toronto wants to win they need to deal him away.
Trading him away to a team who needs him like San Jose would solve a lot of issues, and moving Rielly does allow the team to bring in someone who can be a better foundational building block like potentially a Jakob Chychrun or Colton Parayko.
As the heart of the team for more than a decade, Morgan Rielly did what he could, but with Toronto seeking real change, moving on from the longest-tenured player is a good start.
Leveraging Joseph Woll's value is the key to fetching a top pairing defensive enforcer
Now we aren't saying trade Woll for Arber Xhekaj; that's insane.
But Woll is a player who you could trade to add someone who not only replaces Rielly offensively and defensively but add some grit as well. With the emergence of Dennis Hildeby, it makes him a little more expendable.
It's a bit of a stretch, but imagine a world where instead of Rielly, we see Rasmus Ristolainen line up for the blue and white? Or what about adding a truly under-appreciated star in Jakob Chychrun?
Philadelphia needs stable goaltending for the future, and while it might not be a straight one for one, the foundation for a package is there.
He's the same age as Rielly, on a much shorter and cheaper contract, and is a better skater and transition player. He makes $5.1-million for the next two seasons, and isn't declining rapidly like Rielly is either.
Logan Thompson is going to need a stable and reliable partner over in Washington and adding Woll would be a huge coup that gives them two elite goaltenders locked down long-term.
He's a bit more pricey than Charlie Lindgren but also five years younger, and a tandem of Thompson and Woll in their prime is able to set the Capitals up for success very, very quickly.
Then you add Chychrun, a genuine two-way force who can score you at least 10 goals a year and is enjoying his second straight 20-goal season. Yes, as a defenceman he has 43 goals over his last 140 games - impressive work.
He's more expensive but come on, this is like comparing apples to oranges. It's two polar opposites and while one might cost more, it's the value you're getting that matches it.
Asking William Nylander to waive is the ultimate spark for the culture of accountability
Asking your brand new locked-up superstar to waive his trade protection would certainly cause a stir in Toronto but the reason is to help instil some real accountability.
But giving him the ultimatum of 'be here and be a fighter' or 'go elsewhere' is a really big litmus test. Does Nylander accept responsibility and start becoming more of a leader? His recent comments the past few weeks haven't shown that to a high degree so that's a question mark.
By not standing up for his captain, Nylander isn't built for a winning playoff roster. Now while that's crazy to say, what good is he in the background when a player goes down? Is he going to be in the middle of things or stand aside again?
If he is dealt then the focus becomes now on adding players who will take accountability. Think someone like Sam Bennett, someone who still adds a lot of offensive value but that grit and toughness is what makes or breaks playoff runs.
Building around a culture not on paper toughness but legitimacy is what wins championships and that's the ultimate goal. Nylander is a superstar, but if he's not going to do the dirty work too, that's a problem.
Trading him would send a strong message not only to the rest of the locker room but to fans as well: Accountability has now become a top priority for the first time in a long time.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
John Tortorella's confusion over Matthews signals a league prioritizing code over star safety
John Tortorella's confusion over Matthews signals a league prioritizing code over star safety
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 15|856 ANSWERS Friedman's 'broken spirit' report signals 3 bold trades to spark a Maple Leafs resurgence Who should the Maple Leafs trade? | ||
| Morgan Rielly | 641 | 74.9 % |
| William Nylander | 86 | 10 % |
| Jospeh Woll | 28 | 3.3 % |
| Other | 101 | 11.8 % |
| List of polls | ||