The Toronto Maple Leafs made a trio of impact signings on the opening day of free agency to bolster their team's defense. Their first move was trading for the rights to Chris Tanev at the draft, who they feel is the key to decreasing their opponent's scoring chances.
It took longer than expected, but the Maple Leafs finally reached a deal with Tanev on the opening day of free agency.
They also signed defending Stanley Cup Champions Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz from the Florida Panthers. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it looks like the Maple Leafs are trying to copy the Panthers on their road to the Stanley Cup. Let's make bold predictions for the Maple Leafs after an active offseason.
The Maple Leafs thought they had turned a corner when they finally advanced past the first round in 2022-23. They eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games before falling to the Florida Panthers in the second round.
Toronto thought it was finally time to eliminate the Boston Bruins this past season but fell in overtime of Game 7 on a David Pastrnak goal. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov and their leaky defense took the blame for that series-clinching goal, contributing to them moving on from the Russian netminder and improving their defense.
Will this trio of players be the key to the Maple Leafs winning their first Stanley Cup since 1967? It's hard to believe they'll put them over the top, but sometimes the inconsequential moves contribute the most.
Chris Tanev is the Maple Leafs best defender in decades
Toronto isn't an easy place for defensemen to play. The media in the hockey-mad city sometimes have a way of killing the confidence of the strongest players. However, it feels like Tanev may be the player most ready to eliminate that stereotype.
Tanev was a force in the playoffs last season, helping the Dallas Stars eliminate Jack Eichel and Nathan MacKinnon before an injury caused him to slow down against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. If the Stars hadn't run into bad injury luck, they could have been the team to face the Panthers in the finals.
Tanev won't face offensive talent in the Eastern Conference like the gauntlet he had to deal with in the Western Conference last season. Eichel and MacKinnon are proven playoff players who have already won a Stanley Cup.
The Panthers will trouble the Maple Leafs in other ways, but their offensive attack shouldn't worry Tanev. He also shouldn't concern himself with David Pastrnak, who tends to go quiet against in-your-face competition during the postseason.
Tanev's playing style will cause him to be a fan favorite in Toronto. He will block a shot with his face if it means his team can win the game, making Maple Leafs fans and the Toronto media very happy.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is John Klingberg 2.0
Klingberg was the big defensive signing for the Maple Leafs last season. He was an above-average defender for the Dallas Stars to begin his career but fell off after a trade to the Anaheim Ducks.
Injuries caused him to slow down, hampering his production with the Maple Leafs last season. He played 14 games on a $4.15 million cap hit last season before the trip to Sweden, where he was a healthy scratch. Klingberg didn't play after that last season and hasn't signed a contract anywhere for the upcoming year.
Maple Leafs fans will worry that Ekman-Larsson may have an identical season coming. He signed a four-year contract for $14 million, which feels like a steep price for a player who has been bought out by two teams in the past. Ekman-Larsson may have looked good for one postseason with Florida, but can he continue it for four more years?
Anthony Stolarz can't handle the workload
Stolarz's career-high in games came in 2011-12 when he played 50 games for the Corpus Christi IceRays in the NAHL. He's played 40+ games just once in the 12 seasons since then, which is what he may have to play this season. Joseph Woll may be the starter once the season begins, but Woll hasn't shown he can play extended stretches. Woll has an extensive injury history, and if he goes down with an ailment this season, Stolarz's longevity has to be a concern.
Stolarz always has good numbers in the NHL, boasting a .914 career save percentage in 109 games. However, he will likely need to play more games this upcoming season than his NHL career-high of 27. Stolarz could have some good moments for the Maple Leafs, but there may be another goalie controversy in Toronto before the end of the season.
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