Last chance for Leafs' core four to avoid a trade? One insider thinks so
The Toronto Maple Leafs could be headed for a blockbuster trade this summer.
With the team down 3-1 against the Boston Bruins and just one loss away from another agonizing playoff defeat, there is intense pressure mounting on the Leafs to make a comeback — or else.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast episode that came out today, Toronto could finally decide to make the call to move one of their four core forwards, who have been the staple of the club for nearly a decade.
William Nylander made his Leafs debut in 2015-16, followed by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in 2016-17, and John Tavares signing as the team’s biggest-ever free agent in the summer of 2018. But with the team only having advanced out of the first round of the playoffs once since 2004, Friedman feels that change could finally be afoot in Toronto.
“They’ve been together basically since 2016-17… There’s only two ways to go. One, you just completely falter, you fall apart, and you go down quietly, or two, you rally, and you use it as a point where you come back and say, ‘Okay, we hit rock bottom, now we’re going to prove that we’re on the way back.’ And there really is no other option for them than to do that because this is the end of this group if they don’t pull off the big comeback here… You always bet on talent and assume they’re going to figure it out. I don’t think you can do that here anymore.”
Matthews is signed through 2028, while Nylander is signed through 2032. Meanwhile, Tavares and Marner are set to hit restricted free agency after next season.
“You can only give so many votes of confidence to the same group, and they did one last summer. So, this is their last chance to prove that they should stay together, and as you listen to this right now, it’s hanging by a thread,” Friedman added.
If the Leafs are to start their comeback, Game 5 gets underway Tuesday at 7 pm.
Leafs 2024 first-round playoff schedule
- Game 5: Tuesday, April 30, Toronto at Boston, 7 pm
- Game 6: Thursday, May 2, Boston at Toronto, TBD*
- Game 7: Saturday, May 4, Toronto at Boston, TBD*
*if necessary
Follow Channels and Categories