Maple Leafs makes decision on a Major Roster Shake-Up

The Toronto Maple Leafs struck. They are 1-4 in their last five games and will look to turn things around in a busy week. This club needs an overhaul as soon as possible. At the beginning of the season, the Maple Leafs were considered the team to win the Atlantic Division, but unfortunately, they proved otherwise. The offense is struggling, apart from the core four – the other eight forwards produced almost nothing for the team. That was a concern for a lot of people, especially after the team was gutted this offseason. The Maple Leafs are now 5-4-2 with 12 points in 11 games, which puts them in fourth place in the Atlantic behind the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Lack of production of Dom and Bertuzzi

When the Maple Leafs signed both Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Dom, the buzz was electric. The fan base couldn’t have been happier; newly appointed General Manager (GM) Brad Treliving finally did what Leafs Nation had been clamoring for for years: he was tweaked a bit. With the signing of those two and Ryan Reaves, it looked like Toronto was the most physical team in the NHL and could contribute offensively. Unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet. Along with Reaves, Bertuzzi has three points and Dom has four of seven points in 11 games, which is an understatement for what was expected of them.
Unfortunately, Toronto is a tough market, especially if you play poorly. Domi and Bertuzzi have been criticized by the fanbase and media, which is justified, but may be more than their lack of production. The hype around them was so great that when they failed, their failures were amplified. This is where head coach Sheldon Keefe had to step in early and help them succeed, but he didn’t. Instead, he pushed harder and ended up benching Bertuzzi for a long time.
As for Domini, Keefe lined him up with David Kampf and Matthew Knies and didn’t shake until Monday (November 6) against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It might not have helped – but if Keefe had changed the lineup to allow Bertuzzi and Dom to start the season with their new team, their production might not have been so bad. Treliving should seek an upgrade

Brad Treliving joined the organization thinking he would bring the “tat” and he did, signing Bertuzzi, Dom and Reaves. It was as if he had found the missing piece and they would have been greatly improved. Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs struggle offensively outside the baseline, especially in the bottom of the six. For Treliving, the question is, what must be done to help the team?

Treliving and the Maple Leafs should be looking for a big upset. Many teams are struggling, including the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks. All four teams disappointed, especially the Sharks, who started the season 0-10-1. The Maple Leafs aren’t in the same boat as them, but something has to change.

It’s hard to say what trades would make sense based on each team’s cap situation, but the San Jose Sharks would be an ideal trade partner. They are the worst team in the NHL and may want to take salary from draft picks. Two players on the Sharks roster that could interest the Maple Leafs are Anthony Duclair and Nico Sturm.
Duclair could provide the Maple Leafs with speed and scoring in the bottom six, and Strum could give the lineup a new three-line center along with Calle Jarnkrok and Dom. Unfortunately, the asking price may be too high for the Maple Leafs to acquire both. Even if Treliving only targets Duclair, he would give the club a boost and maybe point them in the right direction.

It’s hard to make a trade in the NHL, but it’s even harder when a team is in Toronto’s situation. They are considered rivals and must seek help from those inferior teams. That means they will have to pay a premium, likely for a high-level draft pick or mid-to-high-level prospects. Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs need a large roster to avoid wasting seasons on their “win it now” schedule, so let’s hope Treliving and his staff keep an eye on the trade market if things go south quickly. .