Toronto Maple Leafs are going all-in on skill and speed

Instead of getting bigger and tougher, the Toronto Maple Leafs are making a fascinating gamble this offseason, doubling down on speed and skill. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been eliminated in the first round in each of the past three postseasons – once by the Washington Capitals and twice by the Boston Bruins. That’s why a lot of people thought Toronto might try to add some size and grit to their lineup this offseason. Instead, general manager Kyle Dubas has made it clear he’s doubling down on his team’s strengths – skill and speed.

Toronto’s Stanley Cup window might be pried open for the foreseeable future, but it will never be more wide open than it is right now. The salary cap has already claimed some victims from the Leafs and it won’t get any easier from here on out. That’s what makes Dubas’ gamble even more fascinating.

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He has purged the roster of players who didn’t fit that mantra. Patrick Marleau? Traded to the Carolina Hurricanes and bought out. Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev? Traded to the Ottawa Senators for Cody Ceci (who the Leafs could, theoretically, not even keep).

They didn’t bring back free agent defenseman Ron Hainsey either. Though a Jake Gardiner return isn’t likely, both sides are still very much interested in one, even if the chances of one are quite low thanks to the salary cap.

The Leafs biggest move so far this summer? Shipping out Nazem Kadri and spare parts for right-handed defenseman Tyson Barrie and RFA center Alexander Kerfoot. While Kadri fit the skill and speed mantra, he simply wasn’t working as the third-line center. Kerfoot could be the solution there.

Kadri is someone the Leafs were reluctant to trade, and understandably so. Even with his temper issues, he was the heart and soul of Toronto. Kadri was a favorite not just among fans, but among those in the organization as well. However, by trading him, they filled their greatest hole – a top-pairing caliber right-handed defenseman.

Barrie confirms what the Leafs are doing – gambling on skill and speed. He’s one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL and fits Toronto’s system perfectly. Recently, teams have figured out the Leafs didn’t have any right-handed defensemen capable of doing much damage. They’ve exploited it. That won’t be the case anymore.

Even in their depth signings, the Leafs showed they’re taking shots on guys with skill. Jason Spezza replaces Tyler Ennis as a potential contributor on the fourth line and power-play specialist. Kenny Agostino and Nick Shore have more skill than their point totals suggest. Ceci is an odd fit, but again, I’m not entirely sure the Leafs will have him on their opening night roster.

The Leafs still have some work to do, though. On top of their to-do list is re-signing Mitch Marner. Dubas doesn’t appear to be too worried about it and Marner has very limited options if he doesn’t want to sign a contract that works for the Leafs.

Next, Toronto has to add some defensemen. Sort of. Travis Dermott will be out to start the season, but he’ll be a key piece once he gets back. He’ll likely take over Gardiner’s spot on the second pairing, assuming Gardiner doesn’t re-sign. With Barrie signed, the Leafs have three of their top four defensemen on Opening Night figured out – Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, and Barrie.

That’s good enough to tread water without Dermott. But I’m sure the Leafs would like to add someone else. Here’s the thing – they might not even need to sign that someone. Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren are on the verge of being NHL ready. The former had the most productive season an 18-year-old defenseman has ever had in the AHL. Meanwhile, though Liljegren took a small step back and has had numerous injuries, he still had 15 points in 43 games.

Ultimately, this is a wise gamble from the Leafs. They’re not going to wear anyone down by being physical. When they’ve tried to do it, they’ve failed. This Leafs team has enough skill and speed to make most teams tap out, even without Kadri.

Also, it’s extremely hard to find skilled, physical forwards. They’re about as common as a unicorn in today’s NHL. Grit isn’t a bad thing, but without skill, it’s virtually meaningless in today’s NHL. If there were big, skilled forwards available, the Leafs would probably love to add one. But they’re not out there. And when they are, they usually cost a ton of money.

Though the Leafs gamble is rare, it isn’t unprecedented. The Pittsburgh Penguins won two straight Stanley Cups by cramming skill and speed down their opponents’ throats. Of course, they had Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. The Leafs aren’t quite that great, but Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares are a pretty lethal quartet among their top six forwards.

It will be interesting to see if head coach Mike Babcock buys in on the Leafs strategy. After three straight first-round exits and the Maple Leafs consistently looking worse than they should, it was surprising to see the Leafs bring him back.

If the feud between Babcock and Dubas continues, expect the latter to win because he can fire the former. In the AHL, the Leafs have an excellent head coach in Sheldon Keefe who has won at every level he’s coached at. It’s worth noting Dubas and Keefe have worked together in the past with strong results.

Whether the Leafs’ gamble on skill and speed pays off or not, it should create extremely entertaining hockey. Toronto is on the cusp of greatness. If this bet pays off, they’ll be remembered as the team that ended the longest current Stanley Cup drought.