Reporter Suggests That the Maple Leafs May Be on the Cusp of Making a Very Unpopular Trade
Photo credit: JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI-USA TODAY SPORTS
A Maple Leafs writer has suggested that the team may be pondering a very unpopular trade that would send catch everyone by surprise.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs once again fell short in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing in the second round to the Florida Panthers, it's become clear that changes are needed within the locker room. However, one proposed move has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.
Surprisingly, Kevin Papetti, a Maple Leafs writer for The Athletic, has floated the idea of trading one of the team's two goaltenders, Joseph Woll or Anthony Stolarz, dealing from a position of strength.
This suggestion comes despite Woll stepping in admirably after Stolarz went down with an injury, helping push the Leafs to a Game 7 in a tough, physical series against the Florida Panthers.
As per Kevin Papetti on X:
"The more I think about the Leafs' offseason, the more I wonder if they'll trade a goalie. There's obvious risk involved, but contending teams rarely keep that much value in the backup goaltender spot. It's a clear path to adding a good forward on a team-friendly deal."
Woll's performance in relief was strong, especially under playoff pressure against a very tenacious Panthers team, which helped keep the Leafs competitive against one of the league's toughest opponents. Not to mention that both Woll and Stolarz are signed to very team-friendly contracts.
With the Leafs finally having goaltending stability, trading one of Woll or Stolarz may not be worth the risk. The duo of skilled, big-bodied netminders gives Toronto reliability and depth in net at a low cap hit, a luxury in today's NHL that not many teams enjoy.
With the likely departure of Mitch Marner on the horizon, the Leafs will already have considerable cap space to retool the roster - particularly up front where offensive depth is needed.
Given Stolarz's elite stats this past season and Woll's ability to step up when needed, the Leafs may be better off holding onto their goaltending tandem and using their nearly $26M in cap space to address their roster needs via free agency.
However, with limited trade assets, I don't know how many people would fault the Leafs if they used one of their stud goaltenders as trade bait to address another key roster need.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 8 | 7969 ANSWERS Reporter Suggests That the Maple Leafs May Be on the Cusp of Making a Very Unpopular Trade Should the Maple Leafs trade Joseph Woll for a forward? | ||
| Yes | 2681 | 33.6 % |
| No way! | 5288 | 66.4 % |
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