If you think the Toronto Maple Leafs were satisfied with being only one game from the Stanley Cup Finals, take one look at their offseason strategy. With an expanded budget and a city pining for a Cup, Toronto acquired premier free agents Mikael Renberg and Alexander Mogilny, and re-signed captain Mats Sundin. Toronto remains solid in net with veteran Curtis Joseph, but the Leafs' Cup hopes may ride with a young corps of defensemen.
Here are your thoughts on what the Maple Leafs need for next season:
Scoring leader is missing link
Leadership, leadership, leadership! It is lacking with this group of players. This team needs a player who will be an instant threat every time he is on the ice. They have a team that can compete in the Eastern Conference and they will. But to get over the top, they need a big threat! When was the last time the Maple Leafs had a forward starting on the All-Star team? Point made.
Brian
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Leafs striking fear in hearts of opposing fans
This team scares me. I was worried last year before they played a strong seven-game series with my beloved New Jersey Devils. Now they terrify me. The addition of Alexander Mogilny will only make them stronger and deeper than they already are now. Mogilny brings a presence to the ice that defenders and forwards must respect and guard against. This pressure will allow for Toronto's other lines to shine. Just look at how great the Devils' top line was with Mogilny anchoring the second line. I also like the other moves that the Leafs made. I look for this team to seriously challenge for the top spot in the East.
Brian
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
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Scoring is there, goaltending is there and tradition is there. They have to be considered an Eastern Conference contender. ” |
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— Dan, Pittsburgh |
Stacked roster helps hopes
Times look to be good in Leaf town. The Leafs went out and started the offseason with their best draft in years, loading up on defense and players with tons of potential. They then went out and added three quality players with loads of skill and experience in Robert Reichel, Mikael Renberg, and Travis Green. In turn, they only gave up Sergei Berezin (who would not pass the puck if his life depended on it) and the injury prone Danny Markov. By adding Alexander Mogilny, we get a 40-goal scorer to sure up the second line. By stockpiling defenseman, they also secure a lot of depth and trade bait for the future. My one regret this offseason is the black eye the Leafs got by in the way they handled the whole Steve Thomas situation. We will all miss him.
Jason
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Defense, Lindros key for playoff improvement
The heroics of Curtis Joseph and the leadership of Mats Sundin sum up last season. Tie Domi seems to only be good for laughs, and he often overshadows Sundin's leadership on and off the ice. What's new? The addition of Gary Roberts will sure help. His gritty play and playoff instincts are very underrated. Alexander Mogilny's play is often moody and inconsistent, but when he's on a roll, watch out! Most importantly, the Maple Leafs' overconfidence in Tomas Kaberle and their less-than-spectacular defense will only catapult them as far as the second round (that is, if they manage to avoid the Devils and Flyers in the first). But then again, it's a long way to March and No. 88 could very well be on Toronto's roster by then!
Mike
Philadelphia
Big spending will make no difference
Once again, just like last summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs have foolishly spent their money. Do they really think Alexander Mogilny is going to have the kind of year he had last year? Mogilny is a contract player. Robert Reichel is overrated, plain and simple, and he will not cover the loss of Yanic Perreault (the NHL's best face-off man). The only reason the Leafs make the playoffs every year is because of Curtis Joseph. The Maple Leafs' record in 2001-02 will be a near spitting image of last season's performance. They will secure the No. 7 or No. 8 seed, if they are lucky.
D'Arcy
Prince Edward Island, Canada
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Until the team embraces an honest devotion to team defense that doesn't require Curtis Joseph to stand on his head every night, Toronto will never advance very far in the postseason. ” |
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— T.J., Phoenix |
Leafs must bolster 'D'
Toronto will be one of the top four teams in the East with the Flyers, Devils and Capitals, but they won't come close to making it to the Stanley Cup Finals or even the Eastern Conference Finals. They have a young, weak defense that makes them depend on young guys like Tomas Kaberle. Their offense is alright, but they're depending on guys like Robert Reichel and Mikael Renberg who didn't play in the NHL last year. Sure, Renberg scored almost 40 goals one year, but that was with Eric Lindros and John LeClair on his line (even Trent Klatt scored 25 with that line). Unless the Leafs can pick up another high quality forward (Eric Lindros, Jason Allison, etc.) and a top defenseman, they will have no shot at a Cup.
Andrew
Wilmington, Del.
Old and new faces put team in Cup contention
I think Toronto had to be upset at how the season ended after such high expectations. They still have CUJO, Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi, and many other solid offensive players, and adding Alexander Mogilny and Mikael Renberg will help out as well. Losing Steve Thomas will take away a grinding forward, but if the 2001-2002 Maple Leafs can play good defense, they are going to win the division. Scoring is there, goaltending is there and tradition is there. They have to be considered an Eastern Conference contender.
Dan
Pittsburgh
Offense is useless without blue line play
Very little has changed on the surface. The Maple Leafs still have some dynamic offensive players, a porous defensive core and a spectacular goalie. But until the team embraces an honest devotion to team defense that doesn't require Curtis Joseph to stand on his head every night, Toronto will never advance very far in the postseason. Rumblings that the organization seeks a return to the high-flying run-and-gun offense of 1999 do not invoke confidence that this team is headed in the right direction.
T.J.
Phoenix
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I was worried last year before they played a strong seven-game series with my beloved New Jersey Devils. Now they terrify me. ” |
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— Brian, Franklin Lakes, N.J. |
Trades bring playoff experience
The biggest concern that Toronto must address this offseason is their stamina in the postseason. They fended off the Ottawa Senators very nicely this year, but they were out-muscled in the next round by the Devils. By adding Mikael Renberg from the famed Legion of Doom line that plagued the Eastern Conference's elite in this mid-90s, and stealing Alexander Mogilny from the Devils, the Leafs have gone a long way in just a few short months -- from potential division winners to Stanley Cup contenders.
Chris
Rouyn, Quebec
A plea for Lindros
The best move that the Leafs have made is one that they didn't make -- Eric Lindros! The Leafs have assembled a great cast with excellent additions such as Alexander Mogilny that didn't cost them any draft picks. They are improving for next season while not following the trend of past Leafs' regimes to mortgage the future. Tomas Kaberle, Nik Antropov, and Aki Berg will become cornerstones for Toronto's future and contribute greatly this season alongside Cujo, Mats, et al. Keep up the great work, Pat Quinn!
Phil
Naples. N.Y.
