Page 32 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 137

32 Issue #137 June 2024
Over the Boards
By Brad Robertson
ell, the hammer fell in
WToronto after their first
round playoff exit. After years of
regular season success but early
playoff exits, the powers that be
in Toronto finally decided to make
a change behind the bench. The
Maple Leafs management team
replaced Sheldon Keefe with the
hard-nosed no-nonsense Stanley
Cup Winning Craig Berube. The
consensus around Maple Leaf
land is that it’s the right choice.
The Leafs have been known to be
stuck in their regular season mode
once the playoffs begin and that
just hasn’t been good enough for
this team, which is high on talent
but perceived as low on grit. They
added key pieces in Tyler Bertuzzi,
Max Domi, Simon Benoit, and
trading for big Joel Edmundson
at the deadline, but still didn’t
advance past the first round. They
lost a hard fought seven game series
in overtime to the Boston Bruins.
In fairness the series could have
gone either way and they played
games without two of their top
scorers, as both Auston Matthews
and William Nylander missed two
games each. In the end Boston
had the better of the goaltending
matchup as Jeremy Swayman was
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New Coach…. Different Results???
rock solid throughout the series, and invest in the blue line and in Tyler Bertuzzi both took time to
and the Leafs went down 3-1 in goal. Next season the Leafs blue acclimate to their surroundings
the series with Ilya Samsonov as line has three established players but were solid contributors as the
the starter, and turned the series and the seventh D. Morgan Reilly, season wore on. In Junior hockey
around once they went to Joseph Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit, and both of the Leafs top prospects
Woll. Woll injured himself late in Conor Timmins are left. They flourished. Fraser Minten had a
game 6 and Samsonov returned to signed former Carolina first solid season out west and Easton
the net for the pivotal game 7, and rounder, hulking defensemen Cade Cowan was the OHL’s outstanding
played well but misplayed a set Webber out of Boston college, player and led the London Knights
play shoot in on the winning goal after acquiring his rights at the to the Memorial Cup. Minten may
and wound up on the losing end as trade deadline. They hope, with a work his way onto the Leafs next
a result. bit of seasoning, he can crack the season, but Cowan has another
lineup at some point next season. year of junior eligibility and would
So will Craig Berube demand the
The blue line is short on the right have to really impress in order to
accountability, effort, discipline,
and focus that a team needs to side and the Leafs will be searching stick around on the big squad.
succeed come playoff time??? The for a couple of right side D. Key The off season will be a doozy
Leafs are going into next season free agents that will be available in Toronto and GM Brad Treliving
with ten current forwards under to them are Florida’s Brandon has some big decisions to make
contract, four current defensemen Montour, the Canes Brett Pesci,
and one goalie. Up front, Mitch and big Nikita Zhadorov from and murky waters to get through
Marner is entering the final year of Vancouver. In goal only Joseph to accomplish a successful off
his contract, and at a cap hit of 10.9 Woll is under contract aside from season, but he has been involved
M the idea being floated around big but young Denis Hildeby, who in these types of situations before
is that it’s time to move on from had an outstanding year with their with star players entering the final
him. The team recently renewed AHL farm team. Woll has a lengthy year of their deals. Most recently
large deals with Matthews and injury history, and the Leafs need in Calgary, Matthew Tkaczuk
Nylander that kick in this season. to shore up the goaltending in informed management that he
Captain John Tavares is entering order to be serious contenders next wasn’t willing to re-sign in Calgary,
the final year of his seven year deal season. Their division is tough as so Treliving traded him to Florida
with a cap hit of 11 M. Both he Boston and Florida are going to be for Jonathan Huberdeau and
and Marner have ‘No Movement good. Buffalo, Detroit, and Ottawa Mackenzie Weegar. Obviously, the
Clauses.’ Marner’s playoff should be taking another step in
performance throughout his tenure their development as well and all trade worked well for the Panthers
has been spotty to say the least, want a playoff spot. as Tkaczuk helped lead them to the
and the fan base wants to see The Leafs have four restricted finals last year and they are playing
change from the Core 4. Marner free agents to deal with in forwards in the semi finals now. The jury is
is a 100 point scorer in his prime Nic Robertson, Connor Dewar, still out on Calgary’s return, but
and would be a wanted commodity Noah Gregor, and defensemen Treliving was applauded at the time
on the open market, but he holds Timothy Liljegren. All shouldn’t for making the best deal he could
all the leverage. Tavares is older cost them substantial dollars. It’ll be under those circumstances. Here’s
and isn’t as marketable as Marner. interesting to see how they handle hoping that he can find some magic
General Manager has to know that their unrestricted free agents. Both in dealing with Mitch Marner if
the Marner camp will be seeking defensemen Joel Edmundson and they decide to go in that direction
William Nylander money, and this Ilya Lyubushkin provided valuable and find a landing spot for him that
franchise just can’t continue to minutes after being acquired last
sink so much of their cap dollars season, and provided a toughness will benefit both parties.
into so few players. The time is to the blue line that was sorely Enjoy the rest of the Stanley Cup
now to move on from that thinking needed. Up front Max Domi and playoffs everyone!