How much selling could the Toronto Maple Leafs be taking a look at?
Sportsnet: James Mirtle on the JD Bunkis Podcast on the Toronto Maple Leafs and why they need to they be sellers on the trade deadline, but the extent of selling may rely on how they do within the six games before the trade deadline.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bunkis: “I feel, from my standpoint, we have now enough sample that they aren’t a contender. And that the concept they might make the postseason will not be unimaginable to me.
But the concept a gaggle that has as many flaws as they do, whether it’s their blue line and their inability to interrupt the puck out. Whether it’s been the up and down injuries. Whether it’s been, I’d say some inconsistent forward play from plenty of their different pieces. Whether it’s been, truthfully, even like a few of their goaltending, hasn’t been as sharp because it was a 12 months ago.
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That banking on this group to make some sort of a deep run, or holding back at a trade deadline, as a substitute of creating sure that you could get back as much as possible, barring, you already know, really impacting your long run future or your ability to compete next 12 months, I feel could be a mistake.
So the primary query is just sort of simply that, which is, you already know, Elliotte Friedman has reported that that winning streak didn’t change things. Are you hearing the identical thing that Toronto continues to be seeking to be a seller on the deadline, whatever the consequence of the games that they play in ahead of it?”
Mirtle: “I’m still, I’m somewhat bit, I feel in the event that they keep winning games, it’s going to alter the degree to which they’re willing to sell. If that is smart.”
Bunkis: “In fact.”
Mirtle: “I feel you’re right. I feel, I feel your read is correct. Like Bobby McMann, no brainer, move off of him.
But in the event that they come out of this break, there’s actually six games until the trade deadline. So there’s a while here. It’s, it’s, I got it right in front of me. It’s Tampa, Florida on the road. Ottawa at home, and then you definitely after which they’ve got Philly, who’s been really struggling, Latest Jersey, and the Rangers.”
Bunkis: “Really tough, like a troublesome slate, when it comes to, if you need to sell, that’s not the teams that you need to see outside of Tampa.”
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Mirtle: “Yeah. I mean, I feel they might win, they will easily win…”
Bunkis: “4.”
Mirtle: “4-1-1”
Bunkis: “Yeah.”
Mirtle: “They may go 4-1-1 in those six games, and also you’re going to be squinting at it like, well, now we’re only three points out. Or, as you said, Boston’s vulnerable. But there’s just such an enormous pack of teams that you just got to compete with.
The Leafs possibilities of making the playoffs immediately are like 20, 21% depending on what model you take a look at. So I feel what you’re saying is correct where, it’s 20% likelihood to get in, but then what are your possibilities once you’re in? You’re probably going to get Tampa who you’ve beaten prior to now, but at best that’s a 50-50, series, and it’s only going to get harder after that.
So I just, you’d be betting on a no hope plan should you don’t do some sort of a retool, recalibration here.
And what I’d try to do on the deadline is move off some pieces that you just don’t feel like are going to be a part of the answer next 12 months. Is there a world where you possibly can trade a Simon Benoit or an Anthony Stolarz, Dakota Joshua? Probably not, but on the deadline, that’s what you need to be taking a look at, right?
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You go to the desperate GM that needs a goalie or the or that needs, wants a physical winger that misses out on the opposite pieces which are available, and also you say, ‘Hey, what do you’re thinking that?’ And perhaps you possibly can open up much more cap space. Possibly you possibly can get back a 3rd or a fourth round pick, and also you’ve got much more flexibility next 12 months.”
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