This is just a thread I'd like to make for myself to record some ideas and thoughts but is open to anyone who wants to critique, debate and/or discuss what the Leafs should do this off-season.

These ideas aren't intended to be predictions as much as what I'd hope to see the Leafs do to improve the team for better playoff success going forward.

The goal is to remove the proven losers and replace them to either proven winners and/or players who better fit a successful playoff style.

Bring in management and coaching that is capable of playing with the current star players but also mold the rest of the team around them to play a defensive, physical playoff style of hockey that doesn't cost us our ability to attack and cycle. Better coaching, bigger and better defense and a top 5 goalie added to our young offensive weapons.

Fire Shanahan.

President: George McPhee
- Great figurehead, can talk to the owners as a proven winner builder

GM: Dale Tallon
- Great GM who has built Cup contenders and winners with a great drafting record. Has the balls to make a big move and the mind to build from the draft.

Demote Treliving to Assistant GM. He can teach Shane Doan. If he doesn't like it, he can make like tree and (frank) off.

Head coach: Joel Quenneville
- Three time Cup winner with a high skill team, all-time great coach. Will be put under special scrutiny to ensure he never makes the same mistake again.

Assuming cap is @ 84 million in 2023/2024 and 88 in 2024/2025.

Trade Tavares to BUF for Mittelstadt
- Will require a lot of negotiation but ultimately must happen for the betterment of the franchise.
- BUF needs the offense, the experience, can afford the cap hit and is close enough to Oakville so he doesn't really have to be far from home.

Trade Brodie and Samsonov + pick and/or prospect for Hellebuyck
- Prospect, salary and a future goalie for a top 5 goalie on an expiring contract.
- Might need to add Robertson, I'd be okay with it.

Trade McCabe for picks and/or prospects
- Need better bottom pairing D, need the money for more playoff experienced, bigger bodied defenders

Dump Murray or buy-out if absolutely necessary.
- One of the worst moves Dubas ever made, needs to get dumped to clear cap space.

Extend Matthews @ 8 years 13.4 million AAV
- 104 million dollars guaranteed, as much as possible up front.
- This is what Matthews is worth. If he wants more, Matthews must be traded and a possible rebuild may need to occur.

Extend Nylander @ 8 years 9.88 million AAV
- If he wants more than this, trade him.
- Possibly expand deal with WPG for Dubois if extension is possible, lower AAV
- Otherwise, trade for cheaper top-six forward or part of a package for a #1 RHD.

Re-sign O'Reilly @ 1 year 3 million AAV
- One year "show me" deal after a statistically terrible season to rebuild value.
- Slight home team discount

Re-sign Acciari @ 3 years 2 million AAV

Re-sign Schenn @ 3 years 1.25 million AAV
- Three year security
- Slight home team discount

Sign Domi @ 2 years 4.5 million AAV
- Grew up at the ACC, idolized Sundin and everybody knows he's going to play in TO eventually. I think that time is now with career earnings of over 22 million, he can afford to play for passion and leave a little money on the table on a short term deal.
- Significant home team discount but could significantly raise his own value on his next contract if he puts up big numbers playing with Matthews / Marner.

Sign Monahan @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- One year "show me" deal after three bad seasons to rebuild value.
- Slight home team discount

Sign Perry @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- Playoff performer. Even if he plays 40 games, he's worth it for the playoffs.
- Slight home team discount

Sign Brown @ 1 year 1 million AAV
- Coming off an injury, home team discount, 1 year "show me" deal.

Sign Mayfield @ 5 years 5.5 million AAV
- 6'5" 220, RHD, can play big minutes and defense so Rielly can be unleashed.

Sign Graves @ 5 years 5 million AAV
- 6'5 220, LHD, can play shutdown role effectively, has playoff experience.

Sign Dumoulin @ 2 years 3.75 million AAV
- 6'4", 210, 2 time Cup winner, loads of playoff shutdown experience.

Re-sign Hellebuyck @ 5 years 8 million AAV
- Top 5 / Vezina winner, top 5 playoff numbers in past 5 years among goalies with 40+ playoff games of experience. Takes pressure off the FWD and the D, can steal games.

Line-up

Mittelstadt / Matthews / Marner 20-22 TOI/GP
Monahan / Domi / Nylander 16-18 TOI/GP
Jarnkrok / O'Reilly / Lafferty Shut-down line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Knies / Acciari / Perry Grind line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Brown

Robertson
- If not traded, can split time with Knies, if he can stay healthy and Knies doesn't run away with the spot.

- All 4 lines allow for a lot of interchangeability. A lot of wingers who can also play C. A lot of wingers can move up and down the line-up accordingly. Top six offensively dangerous, bottom six defensively sound and physically dangerous.

Rielly / Mayfield
- Top pair, 22 TOI/GP, gives Rielly somebody big and stable to play D.

Graves / Schenn
- Shutdown pair, 20 TOI/GP, plays PK and shuts down top 2 lines.

Dumoulin / Liljegren
- Bottom pair, 18 TOI/GP, plays PK and shuts down 2/3rd lines.

Giordano
- If he doesn't retire, cycles in and out of the line-up as necessary, stays fresh for the playoffs.

PP1 / PP2

Domi / Matthews / Nylander
Marner / Rielly

Monahan / O'Reilly / Perry or Knies or Robertson
Mittelstadt / Graves

PK1 / PK2 / PK3
Acciari / Marner - O'Reilly / Jarnkrok - Lafferty / Knies
Graves / Mayfield - Dumoulin / Schenn - Rielly / Liljegren

Hellebuyck
- Plays 52 games against the best teams, never plays back-to-back and stays healthy and rested for the playoffs.

Woll
- Plays 30 games, all 2nd half of back-to-back games, weaker opponents, gets a long stint to prove himself as a regular back-up.

Damn, Monahan got signed. Didn't think he'd go back to Montreal so easily but they did pay him double what he's worth so I guess the guaranteed 2 million was enough.

Gotta replace him with somebody cheap and effective.

Perhaps Eric Haula. Not that young or big but certainly fast. Can play a similar game to Jarnkrok, might be able to score 15-20 goals and at worst, kill penalties and chip in 10 goals. Can play LW or C. Has playoff experience from that deep run with Vegas and 73 total playoff games.

JVR might be an interesting option. If he comes in at 2 million or less, might want to come back if he has a relationship with his former teammates. Has no defensive game to speak of and probably can't stay healthy but if he comes cheap and can score 15-20 goals, might be useful if other options disappear.

Line-up

Mittelstadt / Matthews / Marner 20-22 TOI/GP
Jarnkrok / Domi / Nylander 16-18 TOI/GP
Haula / O'Reilly / Lafferty Shut-down line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Knies / Acciari / Perry Grind line. 10-12 TOI/GP
Brown

Now that July 1st has passed, many of the options were taken off the table before they even hit the market however many other options were still available for reasonable prices. In some situations, Leafs would have had to offer more but this could have gone differently.

Trade Brodie, Murray and Samsonov for Hellebuyck. Winnipeg can buy-out Murray and use Samsonov as their starter.

Trading Brodie balances the salaries even if he goes to a 3rd team. Other picks and prospects might need to be required maybe a 2nd and a mid prospect.

Domi @ 3 million AAV for 1 year
Acciari @ 2.25 million AAV over 3 years (better than 2.4 for Kampf)
Bonino @ 1 million AAV over 2 years (more than he was offered)
Glendening @ 1 million AAV over 2 years (more than he was offered)

Add offensive agitator to replace Bunting and bring in 3 defensive forwards with physicality, playoff winning experience, FO ability, PK ability and defensive responsibility.

Graves @ 4.5 million AAV over 6 years
Mayfield @ 4.5 million AAV over 6 years (more money in shorter time period)
Schenn @ 2.75 million AAV over 3 years
Gustafsson @ 1 million AAV over 2 years (more than he was offered)

Bring in two huge 6'5" 220 bodies who can shut down opposing players, block shots, throw hits, kill penalties as well as bring back Schenn to do all the same things plus also fight if need be. Keep Gustafsson to play the PP and score points.

Domi / Matthews / Marner
Jarnkrok / Tavares / Nylander
Knies / Bonino / Acciari
Robertson / Glendening / Lafferty

Rielly / Mayfield
Graves / Schenn
Gustafsson / Liljegren
Giordano

Hellebuyck
Woll

Much bigger, more experienced, tougher playoff team to play against with a legit top 5 goalie in net as the last line of defense but still have the big offensive weapons up front. 40 million in available cap space to re-sign Hellebuyck, Nylander and Matthews if the cap doesn't go up, maybe up to 43-45 if it does.

Nylander 8 years @ 9.88 AAV (max, more than this, trade him)
Matthews 8 years @ 13.34 AAV (could go maybe to 14 but that's pushing it)
Hellbuyck 6 years @ 7.75 AAV (a bit expensive but still worth it)

Early thoughts about what the Leafs should do moving forward after Leafs lose to the Bruins in game 7 again.

Management

Shanahan: Fired.
Treliving: Demoted to Assistant GM. If he doesn't like it, bye, fired.
Keefe: Fired.

President: George McPhee
GM: Dale Tallon
Head coach: Joel Quenneville
Special Skills Assistant Coach: Adam Oates

Goals of the Offseason

Must trade Tavares. Clearing that cap space is essential to add players for next year.

Dump Robertson, Reaves, Kampf, Liljegren and Jarnkrok. Recover as many draft picks as possible and clear as much cap space as possible.

Reaves is useless. End of experiment. End of story. Discard immediately.

Kampf is too expensive and just too weak to be a bottom-six shutdown player. Need to get some rougher, tougher players who can actually still play hockey (unlike Reaves).

Same with Jarnkrok. Not a bad player but not what this team needs. And unfortunately, doesn't fit well with what the Leafs need from their depth forwards.

Robertson has been given as many chances as possible and just is too small to be useful to the Leafs in the bottom-six role and doesn't score enough to be in the spot that Knies currently plays in.

Liljegren can go too if it brings back a proven RHD who is more experienced.

Trades

Trade McCabe to Chicago for a 2nd round pick.
Trade Reaves to San Jose for a 7th round pick.
Trade Timmins to San Jose for a 5th round pick.

After July 1st signing bonus.

Leafs retain 25% on Tavares = 2.75 AAV dead cap hit.

To CHI or ANA: 50% of 8.25 (4.125 AAV), Kampf and a 2nd round pick.
*Or any other team willing to eat 4 AAV for cap floor reasons.

To Islanders: Tavares at 4.125 AAV (338K real dollars)

To Leafs: Cizikas (2.5 AAV)

If he feels like going back to where it all started the Islanders pay him next to nothing in real dollars and he provides 25 goals, 60 points. Pretty good deal for all 3 parties.

If he feels like being closer to Oakville, Buffalo is closer, still gets to play in the top-6 and the Leafs get a big body LW (Greenway @ 3 AAV). Any other depth player with a low cap hit or recovery of 2nd/3rd round picks would be acceptable.

A lot of other teams could fill in at this final landing spot if Tavares only costs 4.125 AAV against the cap. Probably a lot of contenders all over the league would be calling, making him offers to join them. If the Leafs can get back a depth player for less than 3 AAV, the deal works. Could also recover 2nd/3rd round picks from the right buyer if he wants to join a contender in the West for 1 season (Dallas, Vegas, Colorado, Edmonton).

Acquire Cizikas @ 1 year, 2.5 AAV left.

Solid shutdown C, FO winner, hits, skates, kills penalties and plays hard.

Trade rights to Robertson + Liljegren to San Jose for Rutta + 2nd @ 2.75 AAV.

Might be time to move on from Robertson, give him a chance to get lots of ice time in his home state. Too small for what the Leafs need in their bottom-six, not offensively strong enough to be in the top-six.

Time to move on from Liljegren too. Rather have a guy who is a RHD with Cup winning experience on a cheap deal.

Trade Jarnkrok + 2nd for Logan Thompson. 766K 1 year left on his deal.

He's the only "big name" goalie the Leafs can afford. He's got 1 year to "prove it" and if he and Woll split the season, you get a better indication of what direction you go in. Either Thompson is lightning in a bottle or Woll finally stays healthy. But all the other options out there are too expensive and too limited. When Tavares is off the books, you spend more money on goaltending.

Plan B: If you can't acquire a cheap 1A, maybe bring in Talbot for 1 year.

UFA Signings

Re-sign Domi @ 5 years, 3.5 AAV

Solid all around player, agitator, can score a bit, definitely has a fighting spirit. Home town guy staying for the medium term. 4 AAV is a lot for a guy with 9 goals but again, the UFA market is usually expensive and hopefully he takes a touch less to stay home.

Sign Stephenson @ 5 years, 5 AAV

This would be a great pick-up for the Leafs both short and long term. Has won 2 Cups on 2 different teams. He plays two-way hockey, can score a bit, kills penalties, wins face-offs. Doesn't score a lot but does the dirty work to make space for guys like Nylander.

Sign Joshua @ 3 years, 2.25 AAV

Big body LW who might be able to score 20 goals if pushed up the line-up occasionally. If not, solid two-way player with good size who can play on the 3rd line.

Sign Clutterbuck @ 2 years, 1 AAV

Pure determination, crash and banger. Little old but won't play too much. Brings physicality, penalty killing to the team which it really needs. Another home town guy with a lot of experience and some gas left in the tank on a short term deal. Joshua + Cizikas + Clutterbuck = Pain for the other team.

Sign Lafferty @ 2 years, 1.25 AAV

Bringing this guy back would be great. Should have never got rid of him. His speed and his game works well with the Leafs and he could easily kill penalties as the 4C. Reliable bottom-six player.

Sign Carrick @ 1 year, 950K AAV

Another former Leafs player coming back home. He's a rat so you have to be careful with how much he plays but the type of bottom-six scratch and claw player you need for the playoffs. Rotational player who can fill in for Perry / Clutterbuck because they're older. Can also win FOs and play C which is useful when injuries happen.

Sign Tierney @ 1 year, 850K

Depth player, former London Knight so you know he's a good two-way player who can win FOs and be a defensively responsible PKer.

Sign Perry @ 1 year, 1 AAV

How many years are we gonna watch Perry thrive on a contender? Gotta bring this guy home eventually because he's a win at all costs warrior. Need more veterans like this guy on the team. Tough, plays rough and scores from the bottom six when you need it most.

Sign Pesce @ 5 years, 5.25 AAV

Solid top-4 RHD with size. Nothing flashy. Never going to win the Norris. But a guy who can share top-4 minutes and kill penalties. Easily a 20 minute per game player. Probably an overpayment for a guy who scores 20 points a year. I'd take him for less but the UFA market always pushes teams to overpay, especially in plays like Toronto where the taxes are ridiculous.

Sign DeMelo @ 4 years, 5.25 AAV

Solid defensive defender, developed from the London Knights so you know he's got solid hockey IQ. Another "home town" guy who might take slightly less to come home. He's over 30 so 4 years makes sense. Again, UFA overpayment.

Sign Oliver Ekman-Larsson @ 3 years, 4 AAV

This might take a phone call from Nylander but OEL has scored the 5th most PPG among blueliners since he entered the NHL. He's over 30, not defensively strong but the Leafs need an injection of PP power. He's more proven than Montour and probably a lot cheaper too.

Sign Brendan Smith @ 1 year, 1 AAV

Mimico Mafia boy. Big body, hits, fights, can play LW in a pinch (if McMann is hurt). Solid depth to split time with Benoit because chances are, neither can handle a full 82 game season playing hard PK minutes. Keeps them both fresh for the playoffs.

Knies | Matthews | Marner
Domi | Stephenson | Nylander
Joshua | Cizikas | Clutterbuck
McMann | Lafferty | Perry
Carrick | Tierney

Rielly | Pesce
OEL | DeMelo
Benoit | Rutta
Smith

Thompson | Woll
(Talbot)

If you can't get rid of Tavares.

Tavares | Matthews | Marner
Knies | Domi | Nylander
Joshua | Lafferty | Clutterbuck
McMann | Tierney| Perry
Carrick

Rielly | Pesce
OEL | DeMelo
Benoit | Rutta

Thompson | Woll
(Talbot)

List of potential cheap Leafs targets playing in Sweden, Finland, Russia and/or the AHL.

Try to bring these guys in for training camp on PTO and sign whomever you can get to play for the Marlies.

Nikolay Goldobin LW
Teemu Turunen LW

Janne Kuokkanen C
David Tomasek C/RW
Lukas Sillinger C/W

Alexander Nikishin LHD
Damir Sharipzyanov LHD
Kyle Capobianco LHD
Gianfranco Cassaro LHD

Robin Press RHD
Axel Rindell RHD
Dylan Coghlan RHD

Niklas Kokko G
Joel Blomqvist G
Hunter Shepard G
Kyle McClellan G

Top Prospects who could make the team.

Easton Cowan C/LW

Dennis Hildeby G

Topi Niemela RHD

Fraser Minten C

Cap AAV Breakdown

Total @ 92 million for 2025/2026, 20 players, 4.6 AAV per player average.

4 AAV / 13.25 AAV / 11.93 AAV
2 AAV / 5.5 AAV / 11.5 AAV
1 AAV / 3 AAV / 1 AAV
750K AAV / 1.5 AAV / 750K AAV

Total: 56.18 AAV for forwards.
Target total: 12 x 4.6 = 55.2

7 AAV / 6.25 AAV
5.25 AAV / 6 AAV
1 AAV / 1 AAV

Total: 26.5 AAV for defense.
Target total: 6 x 4.6 = 27.6.

Star goalie @ 7.5 AAV
Back-up @ 1.7 AAV

OR Tandem @ 4.6 AAV each OR Good starter @ 6 AAV + 3.2 AAV back-up.

Total: 9.2 AAV for goalies
Target total: 2 x 4.6 = 9.2

Total: 91.88 AAV
Target total: 92 AAV

Targets who signed before July 1st.

Joshua signed for 3 x 3.25.
Blueger signed for 2 x 1.8.
DeMelo signed for 4 x 4.9.

Ken Holland becomes UFA.

Edited to replace them.

Management

Shanahan: Fired.
Treliving: Fired.
Keefe: Fired.

President: Dale Tallon
GM: Ken Holland
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville (with daily accountability monitoring to keep the social justice crusaders appeased)
Asst. Coach: Craig Berube
Special Skills Consultant: Adam Oates

Trade Robertson, Reaves, Timmins, Kampf, Liljegren and Jarnkrok. Recover as many draft picks as possible and clear as much cap space as possible.

Reaves is useless. End of experiment. End of story. Discard immediately.

Kampf is too expensive and just too weak to be a bottom-six shutdown player. Need to get some rougher, tougher players who can actually still play hockey (unlike Reaves).

Same with Jarnkrok. Not a bad player but not what this team needs. And unfortunately, doesn't fit well with what the Leafs need from their depth forwards.

Robertson has been given as many chances as possible and just is too small to be useful to the Leafs in the bottom-six role and doesn't score enough to be in the spot that Knies currently plays in.

Liljegren is in the same boat as Robertson. He had his chances, he needs a new team and the Leafs need the cap space and other sources of value.

Trades

Trade Jarnkrok to Columbus for a 2nd round pick.
Trade Timmins, Liljegren and Reaves to San Jose for Kunin, 5th + 7th round pick.
Trade Kampf to Anaheim for a 3rd round pick.

Trade Robertson, Hildeby + 1st + 2nd for Askarov + Sissons.

Whatever extra it takes within reason.

Signings

Re-sign Domi @ 4 years, 3.75 AAV

Sign Duchene @ 2 years, 5 AAV, front loaded bonuses to pry him from Dallas.

Sign Pesce @ 6 years, 5.5 AAV. *Acquired the rights, then sign with max bonus $$$ upfront.

Sign Oliver Ekman-Larsson @ 3 years, 4 AAV.

Sign Lafferty @ 3 years, 2 AAV.

Sign Clutterbuck @ 1 years, 1 AAV.

Sign Lorentz @ 1 year, 775K

Sign Jani Hakanpää @ 1 year, 1.5 AAV.

Sign Robert Bortuzzo @ 1 year, 775K.

Duchene | Matthews | Marner
Knies | Tavares | Nylander
McMann | Domi | Kunin
Lafferty | Sissons | Clutterbuck
Lorenz

Rielly | Pesce
OEL | Hakanpää
McCabe | Bortuzzo
Benoit

Woll | Askarov | Murray

------------------------------------------------------

Leafs: Sissons (2.8 AAV) + Gudas (4 AAV) + Askarov, retain 2 AAV on Tavares
Anaheim: Retain 4.5 AAV on Tavares + Glass + Liljegren + Robertson
Nashville: Tavares @ 4.5 AAV, Cowan, 1st round pick

Everybody wins.

Sign Sprong @ 1 AAV, Clutterbuck @ 1 AAV, Bortuzzo @ 1 AAV, Tierney and Comtois @ 900K.

Sprong / Matthews / Marner
Knies / Domi / Nylander
McMann / Sissons / Jarnkrok
Comtois / Kampf / Clutterbuck
Tierney

Rielly / Tanev
OEL / Gudas
McCabe / Hakanpaa (Healthy?)
Benoit / Bortuzzo

Woll / Askarov / Stolarz / Murray

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking ahead to next year...it could have been...

When Tavares is off the books, it gives the Leafs a lot of money to sign another top-4 / 2 D and would have given the Leafs an actually scary blueline for the first time in a very, very long time.

Chychrun or Theordore (8-10? AAV UFA) / Pesce (6 AAV)
Rielly (7 AAV) / Tanev (4.5 AAV)
OEL (3.5 AAV) / UFA RHD
Benoit

Alternatively, the Leafs have to hope Ekblad wants to "come home" next year and maybe they can sign him as the top pair RHD. Maybe bring in Larsson as a UFA to pair with OEL?

Not as good as other scenarios but still an improvement.

Rielly (7 AAV) / Ekblad (7.5? AAV)
Benoit (1.4 AAV) / Tanev (4.5 AAV)
OEL (3.5 AAV) / Larsson (4? AAV)