Insiders Predict Leafs' Season-Opening Roster
With the season ending disappointingly for the Toronto Maple Leafs fans, insiders are already projecting what next season's roster could look like, and it's crazy!
Leafs Projected Opening Night Roster
There is no doubt that the Leafs' season ended worse than expected. With that, many are trying to move on and focus on the offseason, from Leafs players and Leafs management to NHL insiders.
In an article predicting the Leafs opening night roster, Adam Laskaris goes over what the Leafs could look like next season.
He uses a tool on evolving hockey to predict the contract values for certain players and there are some notable players who will and will not be returning.
Of those returning who have expiring contracts, it is just Zach Aston-Reese, Noel Acciari, and Ilya Samsonov.
That means that the model predicts Michael Bunting, Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Kerfoot, David Kampf, Wayne Simmonds, Justin Holl, Luke Schenn, and Erik Gustafsson all will leave the Leafs this coming offseason.
What No Bunting or O'Reilly Means For the Leafs
This will obviously be a massive blow to the Leafs offensive core but the Leafs will likely be fine because of youngsters Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson. Knies impressed straight out of college in the playoffs and will likely be a top 6 forward next season. If Robertson can remain healthy, he could also potentially slot into the Leafs top 6 as well.
What About Schenn?
While the model projects Luke Schenn leaving the Leafs this offseason, Schenn and the Leafs have expressed a mutual desire to have Schenn on the roster next season and that means he could sign at cheaper than market value.
| POLL | ||
Will the loss of O'Reilly and Bunting force to Leafs to regress massively? | ||
| Yes | 174 | 45.9 % |
| No | 205 | 54.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
