The Toronto Maple Leafs' biggest splash in free agency was trading for Chris Tanev's rights at the NHL Draft. The move helped them negotiate with Tanev before the free agency period opened, and they agreed to a six-year, $27 million contract. Tanev is the perfect player for Toronto's defense core, but there are some concerns about the contract. They also signed Anthony Stolarz to battle with Joseph Woll for starts in the net, and recent Stanley Cup Champion Oliver Ekman-Larsson to bolster their defense depth.
The Maple Leafs were left searching for answers when their 2023-24 season ended like all the ones before. The Leafs had a famous stretch of coming up short in the first round, which they snapped in 2022-23 when they finally beat the Lightning in six games to advance to the second round. It was as far as they made it, but the progress was exciting.
The Maple Leafs thought they could conquer one more hill this season when they battled the Boston Bruins in the first round. Toronto had lost in the first round to the Bruins in 2013, 2018, and 2019, but they thought it'd finally be their year. They went down 3-1 in the series but battled back for a deciding Game 7. However, like all the other Bruins series, they lost the seventh game.
The Maple Leafs have some reason for optimism. Auston Matthews and William Nylander had nagging injuries during the playoffs, contributing to the loss. Their defense also looks better than it has in a long time after their free-agent signings. The question is whether the moves are good enough to end their 57-year Stanley Cup drought.
A lot of years for Chris Tanev
The Maple Leafs needed a defenseman like Tanev for years. A true shutdown defenseman has been their missing piece in all their playoff failures. Tanev will now slot in alongside Morgan Reilly, giving him some insurance and opening him up to play his game.
The problem that may arise for the Maple Leafs is the term of this contract. If they win the Stanley Cup in the first 2-3 years of the deal, it'll be worth the price. However, this contract will fail if the Maple Leafs continue to fall short.
Tanev was one of the most valuable defensemen in the playoffs after his trade deadline move to the Dallas Stars. He began the run through the postseason by shutting down Jack Eichel and beating the Vegas Golden Knights. Then, the Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche, with Tanev slowing Nathan MacKinnon's daunting attack.
The Stars Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers was also going well until Tanev sustained an injury. Tanev blocked a shot, which slowed him down with a lower-body injury. Against any other team, it may have been fine, but shutting down Connor McDavid while dealing with a lower-body injury was never going to work.
The good news for the Maple Leafs is that Tanev will be fully healthy next season, but the question is how long his beaten 34-year-old body can handle the stresses of his style of play.
Maple Leafs add Stanley Cup experience
Anthony Stolarz and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were celebrating their Stanley Cup victory when the Maple Leafs signed them on July 1st. Ekman-Larsson signed a four-year, $14 million contract, while Stolarz was a two-year, $5 million deal.
Ekman-Larsson will have to hold down the bottom-pairing for the Maple Leafs, where they've struggled. He reinvented his style of play in Florida, buying into the idea of being a depth defenseman. The hard work paid off when Paul Maurice elevated him to the first-line powerplay, a spot he was familiar with from his Arizona Coyotes days.
Anthony Stolarz's role will be to provide Joseph Woll with a reliable tandem. The issue is that Stolarz hasn't played more than 28 games in an NHL season but will have to play plenty more in Toronto. Woll's reliability from an injury standpoint is questionable. Therefore, Stolarz could have to play significant stretches if Woll gets on the injured list.
Did the Maple Leafs change enough?
Just because something didn't work in the past doesn't mean it will go the same the second time for the Maple Leafs. However, the Maple Leafs' current roster construction looks like their past failures.
The Maple Leafs brought in Mark Giordano as their shutdown guy as an aging defenseman. He had some good stretches but ended up aging quickly and couldn't hold that role long enough to get them over the top.
Toronto signed John Klingberg last season, who plays like Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The signing looked successful until Klingberg stepped on the ice, and the fans and media turned on his passive style. Ekman-Larsson changed his style in Florida, but who knows whether he will do the same in Toronto after winning his Stanley Cup.
The Maple Leafs signed Ilya Samsonov as an unproven starter in 2022-23. They tried to turn him into a starter, but his play was too inconsistent over long stretches. It could be completely different this time around with these moves, but if their three signings turn into replicas of Giordano, Klingberg, and Samsonov, it'll be an ugly scene in Toronto.
FINAL GRADE: C
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