Organizational change appears to be the mandate under the Toronto Maple Leafs’ new management headed by Mats Sundin and John Chayka.
Since firing Brad Treliving, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment wasted little time getting a new leadership group in place, which eventually made the decision to part ways with head coach Craig Berube and usher in a new era. However, it appears more changes could be in the offing in Toronto as they look to ship out some long-term contracts to have some flexibility in the trade market and in free agency.
Maple Leafs Rumors Indicate Anthony Stolarz Could Be On His Way Out
In Craig Berube’s first year as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the franchise boasted the league’s second-best goaltending tandem in Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, as their save percentage clocked in at .926. In Year 2, however, it all went downhill and that number cratered to .900, good enough for 22nd in the league.
And so, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reports that changes could be a-coming for the Leafs. Fox notes that all three of Woll, Stolarz, and Dennis Hildeby will be on one-way contracts and, as such, will require waivers to play in the AHL.
Toronto, then, will be dealing from a position of strength if rivals come calling for Stolarz, who signed a four-year, $15 million extension last September.
Stolarz’s save percentage this season (.893) was well below his career average (.914), and he only played 26 games this year, prompting even more concern around his viability as a long-term number one option in a noisy market like Toronto.
Artur Akhtyamov could be expected to slot in if the Leafs deal Stolarz or Woll. The Leafs’ 24-year-old goalie prospect has lit it up during the Toronto Marlies’ run to the final four, with a .928 save percentage.
All things considered, the goalie market is shaping up to be a pretty intriguing one this summer. St. Louis Blues star Jordan Binnington is expected to be available for a trade, while Florida Panthers’ two-time Stanley Cup champion Sergei Bobrovsky is likely to entertain free agency.
Adding to that list are Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, Buffalo’s Devon Levi, Detroit’s Sebastian Cossa, Edmonton Oilers’ Connor Ingram, and Vegas champ Adin Hill.
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But solving their goaltending problem is unlikely to be at the top of John Chayka’s laundry list of problems over the next few months. The Maple Leafs still need a top-six winger to pair alongside Auston Matthews and a true, blue number one defenseman to quarterback the power play. A minute-eating center would also not go amiss.
Then there is the problem of what to do with Morgan Rielly’s contract, especially given his no-move clause.
Problems are a dime a dozen in Toronto as Chayka and Sundin look to make sense of the roster. But before they can get their ducks in a row, a head coach will need to be appointed to get things rolling.
