Maple Leafs have four veterans who could realistically be moved if this slump continues
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a group of veterans who could find homes elsewhere if the team's slump continues, and moving them could kickstart a real identity change: Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, Brandon Carlo, and Scott Laughton.
Currently the Toronto Maple Leafs are at a bit of an impasse this season. On one hand, they have underperformed heavily and are looking like a shell of the team we saw last year.
They are also dealing with an extensive injury list that includes the likes of Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Anthony Stolarz, and Chris Tanev.
Right there is a large chunk of the top players, and combined with their lack of effort lately, it's leading to some miserable results and if things don't pick up, a change may be on the horizon.
There are four players who the Maple Leafs could send out if they really wanted to institute their 'identity change' and it starts with some pretty bad contracts.
What the numbers reveal about Domi, Jarnkrok, Carlo and Laughton right now
Right now, the numbers aren't good. You can forgive Carlo and Laughton due to their injuries, and Jarnkrok was a scoring machine early on. But Domi has no excuse.
Domi has two points in his last 10 games, a minus-5, and only 13 shots. He has barely put a puck on net from a high-danger area all year. Of his 36 shots this season, the majority are at medium or long-range.
He already doesn't shoot much, and when he does it's been minimally effective, and paying him $3.75-million for the next few seasons is going to keep hurting Toronto the longer they keep him.
He could add some offensive help to a team who might not be a contender but need a veteran presence and he plays much better against weaker opponents.
Jarnkrok has not really been the offensive force he was early on, and been just as ineffective as Domi offensively with four points (all goals) and a minus-7 while also producing below average possession numbers.
But his versatility and experience has kept him in the lineup, and the ability for him to play on any line, either special teams unit and do so as a center or winger? That's enticing.
He's also cheap for a contender who needs some bottom-six depth, and it would offer him a chance to get into the playoffs late in his career.
Carlo has been hurt but otherwise largely invisible so far this season, and his staunch defense that he brought last year has seemingly been neutralized somehow.
He's out of position a lot, not reading plays, and while he may be a top-four defender somewhere, in Toronto it's feeling like a lost cause. He went from Boston's brick wall into a sieve with the Maple Leafs -- it's been rough.
Toronto could use another puck-mover and Carlo would be a great asset to trade away given his contract, but it will make Maple Leafs fans frustrated knowing what they gave up for him only months ago.
Laughton may be the safest name on this list, as he's only had a short spell to get used to the team and started the first month of the year injured. Since coming back he's been solid and held the team together at times.
He's crushing it on the PK and his heart and grit is making people feel a bit better about what the team traded away, but he still needs to start adding some offense.
For his career he has 108 goals and 269 points -- it's not like he can't score but since he came to Toronto has four points in 24 games. Even if the team got 5-10 goals out of him it would be an improvement over others.
Why moving one or more of these veterans could benefit the Maple Leafs' long-term outlook
So with all that being said, it would be best for the Maple Leafs to move on from at least a couple of these players.
First and foremost, end the Max Domi experiment. He's not good offensively or defensively enough to warrant his contract, and his on-ice play is actively hindering Toronto each night.
Swapping him for even a lesser player who at least fits into their system more would be a start, and it's about getting out from under his extravagant deal.
Jarnkrok and Laughton are safer for the team's long-term outlook at least for this season because they are so adaptable, but if the Leafs wave the white flag, then they would at least fetch something.
Same goes for Carlo, but at his current contract and Toronto's actively aging defensive group, holding onto a guy that isn't even 30 yet would be proactive and give them at least a few more years -- and he can still pick things up.
A package sending Domi to a place like San Jose would give him a fresh start and play with some new fire and away from the constant chatter, and maybe bring in a gritty forward like Barclay Goodrow.
Perhaps then the team can send Laughton and Jarnkrok in a package to get a puck-moving defenseman who could help solidify their backend.
Whatever way you slice it, the Maple Leafs need to start acting like they are in panic mode, and sell off a couple of their bigger pieces to at least field a team that plays the way they want.
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