The 2023 NHL Draft is quickly approaching and the NHL’s offseason is in full effect with free agency soon to follow. With the changes that’ve already happened with the Toronto Maple Leafs and those that could still be coming within the organization, there are many questions surrounding what the team could look like to start the season in 2023-24.
With that in mind, and possible draft targets the biggest focus amongst Leafs Nation right now, we decided to throw it out to the fans to see what their biggest questions are around this team heading into the offseason — answering what I can to the best of my ability.
So, without further ado, here are some questions put forth by some of our readers over the past couple of weeks.
Do you think Treliving targets anyone in Calgary for a potential trade? If so, who stands out as the most likely target? (@InsideLeafs via Twitter)
I mean, there’s always potential and Brad Treliving certainly had players that he was loyal to in Calgary. That said, it can be a tough gig trading with your former club right off the bat. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that it’s impossible, but any player worth adding at this point might be tough to pry out of Calgary.
Two names do come to mind, however, when thinking of possibilities if a move were to happen — Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson. Both players fit what the Maple Leafs could be looking for in bolstering their lineup for a deeper run in 2023-24.
Lindholm has one year left on his deal with a cap hit of $4.85 million and hit 42 goals just two seasons ago. He’s been a consistent producer since joining the Flames in 2018-19 with four seasons of over 50 points and two of 78 points or more over the last five years.
On top of that, being a pending free agent next offseason, Lindholm could come at a cheaper price for Treliving and the Maple Leafs.
With Andersson, you’re getting a productive defenceman that is reliable in his own end. He plays a physical game and can chip in offensively and is still under contract for another three seasons. While it’d be nice to grab Andersson out of Calgary, his $4.55-million cap hit for another three seasons would make him a pricier asset for the Maple Leafs to attempt to acquire. But, boy, would he fit in nicely in Toronto.
Are you interested in trying to upgrade the goaltending? Do you go out and try and make a trade for someone more “consistently good?” (@destination_6ix)
The simple answer is, no. Ilya Samsonov did exactly what he was asked to do. That said, he’ll be looking for a bigger ticket this season as a restricted free agent and it was proven this season that Matt Murray’s health is still a major question mark.
On top of that, you can’t send Joseph Woll back down after the play that he showed you in his limited opportunities this season with the big club. So your hands are a little more tied unless you’re going to make that move to bring in someone else.
But take the Vegas Golden Knights as an example. They won the Stanley Cup on the shoulders of Laurent Brossoit and Adin Hill — not exactly household names prior to this playoff run.
Sure, a strong goaltender can steal you games in the playoffs and any good team needs that from time to time to secure that Cup win, but assuming you can get a similar year out of Samsonov with a healthy and reliable back-up, there’s no reason to believe the Maple Leafs can’t take that next step with what they have.
That said, teams are always looking to improve in all areas and if the ask is too big from Samsonov, Treliving could look to go in a different direction. But it’s not their biggest need, by any means.
If the Leafs keep their pick, who is your ideal guy? Bonk? (@arents_nick)
Assuming the Maple Leafs use the 28th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, there are a number of names that would fit in nicely to their prospect pool as future assets of this team. Of course, you named the first, Oliver Bonk.
Bonk is a big right-handed defenceman out of the London Knights organization. He plays a defensively sound game with very few holes and has offensive upside as well — having posted 40 points in 67 games in his first full OHL season.
Two other names that come to mind are Tom Willander and Brayden Yager. In my final rankings for the draft, I had Yager going in the 24th spot so there is potential for him to drop. He met with the Maple Leafs at the NHL Combine earlier this month which could spark speculation that the team does have some interest.
Yager has a top-notch shot and nearly put up 30 goals this season for the Moose Jaw Warriors. He averaged over a point per game and added another 16 points in 10 games during their playoff run. I’d be shocked if he’s still available at 28, but would assume that the Maple Leafs would pounce on the opportunity to pick him if he is indeed still on the board.
As for Wallinder, he’s another right-handed option on the back end out of Sweden. He’s another big body that might not have the same offensive upside as Bonk, but he’s positionally sound in his own end and has been praised for his skating and speed. He’s evasive and physical allowing him to be a force on both sides of the puck.
Related: London Knights Continue to Produce NHL Talent in 2023 NHL Draft
While these are three ideal candidates for the Maple Leafs with the 28th overall pick, this is one of the deepest drafts in a while and that means there are a handful of others that would make sense in that spot as well.
As Leafs Nation and hockey fans continue to get used to the new management team in Toronto, the questions should continue rolling in. As such, we will keep the mailbag open moving forward as this offseason continues to push forward with more answers to your questions.
As always, thank you to those who posed questions this week and for those who are interested in digging deeper into something hockey or Maple Leafs related, be sure to reach out with your questions.