Sportsnet: Greg Wyshynski on ‘Follow The Money’ when asked what happens to the Toronto Maple Leafs if they lose to Boston.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “Let me give you a scenario. Boston wins night 5-1. What happens offseason in Toronto?”
Wyshynski: “Oh God, we were just talking about that on our podcast, The Drop, this week. Doing a little pre-post mortem, I guess you could call it on the, on the Leafs.
NHL Rumors: Detroit Red Wings, and the Toronto Maple Leafs
I think you have to break up their core group of players. I think that probably begins with Mitch Marner. Marner will only have one more year left on his contract. He does have a full no-movement clause but it’s not like teams can’t find ways to, find an agreeable change of scenery for a guy. Or else maybe make his life a little bit a hell as far as ice time and things of that nature if he doesn’t agree to a trade.
It just becomes apparent that, that this team is, it’s not necessarily how they’re built, it’s, it’s the core of the team is the issue. You look at Boston. You look at their players, their impact players – (Brad) Marchand, (Charlie) McAvoy, (David) Pasternak. This is a different kind of player than what the Leafs have.
And maybe it’s time to stop hoping that guy who’s the 26 or 27 turns into a good playoff performer and start swapping out some of these guys for good playoff performers.
And I think the two, the two I would identify are Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly, who I think has proven to be a very, very good complementary defenseman but not necessarily the type of number one guy that can win you a Cup.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: If the Toronto Maple Leafs lose, Brendan Shanahan could/should be in trouble. Head coach Sheldon Keefe is in trouble.
The Maple Leafs have recently had the issue of playing the kids too much and creating an environment that lacks accountability.
Over the past eight years under Shanahan, the Leafs have the third-best record in the regular season behind the Bruins and Lightning. They’re 15th in playoff wins. There have been four GMs under Shanahan.
Are We Sure Major Changes Are Coming with the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Heading into Tuesday’s game they’ve scored 21 goals in their last 11 playoff games.