What Changes Do Maple Leafs Need To Make? | SDP

33 comments

1. Keeping any 1 of Reilly, Nylander or Matthews is only going to extend the apathetic culture this team has had for the last decade, They all have to go to reset the team culture and its not even a debate. The Leafs will never be able to legitimately compete in the toughest sports tournament in the world, the NHL playoffs, if they extend their 0 accountability culture past the decade it's already existed. The Blame is all on Reilly that this level of Apathy exists across the Leafs roster as he is the source of the infection, no team trying to win a Stanley Cup should ever keep a player that tanked for 4 years prior to the start of the core 4 decade long youth movement era, let alone being one of the players to out survive it.

2. Frankly there isn't even a choice. The 2026 pick is only top 5 protected, as it stands Boston will have a top 10 pick and a playoff appearance. Time to tank for Keaton Verhoeff.

3. Willy is a cancer and your moving Knies? The type of player that is built for the playoffs. Hard pass

4. As a Sharks fan, you can strip it all

5. Captain Knies can stay everyone else can go! 😊

6. I would keep cowan, danford, Hildebeast, knies
   Everything else must go. If they have a nmc the sit in the pressbox until they submit a list.
   The names above are the only part of the solution. It needs to be ripped to the studs.

7. Trade Matthews. You guys are building around the wrong person. Nylanders a way more consistent player

8. These guys still think their players are better than they are.

9. Knies, Cowan & McMann
   Trade Matthews, Nylander, Rielly & Tavares.
   You need a culture reset. Bring back 6 rosters and hire a coach who can run an emerging energetic team. Leafs need new life and I think Ottawa need the same.

10. SHAHNAHAN IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM

11. brand is money, only money without the hard work

12. We have a coaching staff that plays Matthews as a shutdown centre… And gives him the least defensively responsible winger on the team to play with. I am tired of seeing professionals who make millions of dollars making the most elementary and stupid decisions, constantly.

13. Same thing happened with Treliving in Calgary – he was at odds with Darryl Suter since he's incapable of being a GM that can build a team around a coaches style.

14. Why does zero Toronto media talk about Berube's analytics???
    Look it up!!! His teams fall off a cliff year 2!! The analytics prove it. So does this season. He is a 1 yr coach.

15. 0 shot you win a matthews trade. While true, he will prob walk for nothing at the end of his contract. So at least getting something(picks, young talent) is better than nothing.

16. the leafs are gonna let matthews walk right out the door with zero return. the management are nothing but numbers men who have no idea how to build or use their assests and keeps hiring yes men who are their buddies. they are doomed

17. Do they have a winning record with willy in the lineup?
    Do they have a winning record without AM34?

18. The leafs are that guy in front of you at the taco bell line who knows good and well he only has enough money for 2 tacos but keeps eyeing the quesadilla meal lol

19. There’s 1 move to fix this entire team. Matthews. Call LA, San Jose or Beiber for goodness sakes and take what you can get. The team dynamic will change instantly.

20. Obviously time to sell….and everybody should be on the table….and looks like a new GM and new coach are also needed…..forget about the playoffs if by miracle they might pull off some incredible run….they will just lose any round any way…this team has no heart, simply implode on themselves…..
    
    Maybe this will seem crazy, but what about a three way trade with the Leafs, Devils & Wild….Stolarz, Reilly, Matthews to Wild for Wallstedt and Quinn Hughes (UFA in 26-27)…..trade Woll, Domi, McCann, Carlo , Nylander, Knies to Devils for Markstrom, plus Luke & Jack Hughes….this might make sense to Devils as Domi, McCann, Nylander, Knies played for Sheldon Keefe…..reunites Hughes brothers….frees up some cap space for Leafs….Markstrom & Wallstedt would make a great 1A and 1B Swedish tandem….Hidebey is 3rd string and takes over from Markstrom eventually….complete remake of Leafs…..not a full rebuild but more than just retool…..then if really want to get crazy sign Jason Robertson as free agent (teaming up on Leafs with brother Nick)…..obviously we would need Leafs to think completely outside the box (as I have) to do so…..a new coach and new GM plus new blood….new chemistry…..

21. Torts was fired as the Flyers head coach on March 27, 2025. 9 games left in the season. It followed a 1-8-1 slump and a 7-2 loss to Toronto. So yes, the Leafs can fire a coach that isn't their own.

22. Ownership who cares about winning?

23. I'm keeping Nylander, Knies, Cowan, OEL ( Captain and Leader Material ), Hildeby, Woll for now, Lorentz, McMann if he agrees to stay and extend. Tanev is staying regardless he's at the end of his career, Stecher I'm extending. Everyone else I'm taking calls

24. Enough is enough. Should never deal with Boston again. If anything, should have gone for Marchand and made him Captain instead of getting Carlos. Strip the Captaincy and Assist Captains.

25. So you want to keep Matthews an Willie who are the no emotion guys that are the biggest problem they have, unreal. They are the first guys you try to move. Everyone should be on the block an a full rebuild is the direction to go. Draft picks, expiring contracts you take on and retention ups the value of anyone they move.

26. Absolutely under no circumstances do you do a retool…enough with the sputtering middle of the pack crap ! Rebuild which means trade AM and Willy for top prospects and first round draft picks not roster players.
    Bottoming out means bottoming out for real …not a retool so you can move from the 23rd best team to the 12th best team in the league…Don't waste another 5 years with this nonsence clinging to AM and Willy
    and thinking they will bring home the cup with the right pieces

27. Use the pipeline from Toronto to Edmonton as leverage for a McDavid-Matthews swap when McDavid's contract approaches expiration

28. why would you keep AM34 he is the cancer infecting your locker room the top guy the highest paid and the worst damn attitude get rid of him you guys

29. If I am the Leafs, and Shane Wright is actually on the trade block, I would make it work somehow. 22, has the passion, Toronto kid, and could easily fit well with this roster.

30. They'd need a true number 1 dman if they move Knies, otherwise what's the point of keeping Willy and Matthews? Picks and prospects would be years away from making a difference and Matthews would be gone by then.

31. Keep knies i dont care if he gets you the most because of his contract .. thats what makes him a keeper and a last bullet if the retool doesn't work . Get rid of both Matthews and willy now .. get rid of all defence except for oel .. get rid of stolarz as he has a good contract .. only going for picks or dee prospects period in the immediate future. Come draft time you only take centres and dee . Never take a forward again in the draft .. no marneez pleez . Forwards can be found in free agency.. good dee and good centres cannot and please dont remind me of overpaying for tavares when again dee is what you have needed all along . Marner should have been hannafin and the core 4 garbage that leads to this moment was the tavares signing .. if you didnt have Matthews ok that would have made a ton of sense but no dee and a core 4 how the eff anyone ever think this was possible. No one wins without a stud . Please dont tell me about Pittsburgh as letang is better than anyone Toronto has had since forever

32. We always short change ourselves by removing one piece and leaving the others. Now that Shanahan's gone, drop this goddamn GM/Coach combo for next season because how much more prime Willy and Auston do we have left?

33. Trade Willy. Trade Ekman Larson. Trade McCann. Trade Rielly. Knies is a part of the future. They would be fools to trade him. Bruins fan here. They need to do what the Bs did where they fire sold but acquired so much back. Still shocking they wanted Carlo btw. Yes he is big but if you had ever watched him he isn't a physical D-man. He is just Dougie Hamilton Lite