In our continued series, “Buy or Sell”, this week is all about contracts and subpar defense, which has been a struggle for the Toronto Maple Leafs through three games. News has come out that the Leafs and William Nylander are more likely than not to get a deal done, but there are still questions as to what the delay is. In other chatter, the big focus is on forwards who aren’t pulling their weight, defensive pairings that aren’t working, and whether the team can outscore their problems.
Are the Maple Leafs Gambling On Nylander?
Chris Johnston recently said while on The Leaf Report Podcast: “I don’t think there’s any reason to think Nylander won’t sign an extension in Toronto.” He added, “Here’s the dirty secret of that negotiation in my opinion: The Leafs know he doesn’t want to play anywhere else… What the Leafs could pay him over 8 years and what another team if he leaves on July 1st as a free agent can pay him is not really that different… I’m willing to say I would put it at least 90% odds Nylander is a Leaf next season.”
On the surface, that sounds like great news. That said, I get the sense Johnston is saying that the Maple Leafs are simply planning to wait out Nylander, banking on the fact, that to avoid having to play elsewhere, he’ll eventually drop his ask to a range they are comfortable with. And, if he doesn’t, they could match what another team is offering during the summer. There’s almost a sense of arrogance about the way the Leafs are approaching this.
Related: 2 Marlies Who Could Replace Minten if He’s Sent Back to the WHL
The concern here is that he keeps having an incredible season and plays himself into a range that is well beyond what the Leafs could have gotten this contract done for a month ago.
Buy or Sell: Maple Leafs end up regretting this and wind up paying more for Nylander than expected
Splitting Up Jake McCabe and John Klingberg
The partnership between John Klingberg and Jake McCabe has struggled to establish synergy, leading coach Sheldon Keefe to reshuffle the defensive lines. Keefe’s aim is to bolster the team’s defensive prowess for the upcoming games after Klingberg and McCabe’s lackluster performance in the initial three matches. During these games, their xGF percentages remained below 40 percent.
McCabe was paired with Timothy Liljegren for the upcoming game, providing Liljegren with a valuable opportunity to showcase his skills. This pairing not only offers Liljegren a chance to prove himself but also serves as a test for the Leafs to assess McCabe’s capabilities as a strong component of the second defensive pairing. They could be asked to handle a significant amount of defensive zone responsibilities, while Mark Giordano and Klingberg could be strategically positioned to minimize their defensive workload.
Keefe is moving the pieces around trying to find pairings that don’t get caved in.
Buy or Sell: The Pairing of McCabe and Liljegren Works
Max Domi Already Being Demoted?
While skilled and a solid playmaker, a lack of awareness when the puck isn’t on his stick has been a calling card for Max Domi and it appears the Maple Leafs are already showing concerns. Sheldon Keefe recently said, “My focus with Max when meeting with him today was just on how he manages the puck offensively. If you don’t take care of the puck offensively, you have to defend that much more. That is really it.”
It’s been a bit of a struggle early for Domi, who was paired with Fraser Minten and Calle Jarnkrok at practice this week. It looks like he’ll be on the third line against the Panthers on Thursday. He has one assist in three games and is a plus/minus -3.
Buy or Sell: Domi was moved to spark Minten and Jarnkrok, not because he’s played poorly
