With apologies to Chris Tanev, the Toronto Maple Leafs off-season has lacked a signature move.
What I’m talking about is a big, big move that gets everyone talking and threatens to change the course of franchise history. The kind of move that galvanizes the fan-base and sets the precedent and tone for the upcoming season. Something that is the first thing everyone will talk about when the new Toronto Maple Leafs season starts.
They didn’t do that this summer, even though they all but promised to.
I like Chris Tanev, I think he could be a difference maker….but….your Big Move can’t be adding a 36 year-old defensive defenseman. That doesn’t excite anyone, and that’s because even if the move pays off 100% in the best-case scenario, you are going to see a few less goals against per month.
Helpful? Yes. Exciting? No.
Toronto Maple Leafs Off-Season Missing Signature Big Move
Most of the time, you don’t need a big signature move.
But most of the time, you don’t assemble the best team in franchise history and then watch them fail to get beyond the first round in seven out of eight seasons.
The results of the Leafs last season require them to make a big, symbolic, massively exciting trade or addition that they can sell to their fans as Huge Deal.
Chris Tanev and Anthony Stolarz are not that.
The Toronto Maple Leafs should be desperate to change the conversation because if they get off to any kind of adverse start to the season this place is going to melt-down. The fan base is ready to write-off the career of the second most talented player to ever dress for the team in the last 30 years – and if that doesn’t tell you what kind of powder keg the Leafs are sitting on…
The Blue Jays teased their fans with Shomi Ohtani, and then made them settle for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The Leafs are in danger of doing a similar thing. Sure, there was never an Ohtani on the horizon for the Leafs, but the potential return for Mitch Marner had similar BIG GAME VIBES.
The Toronto Maple Leafs current GM has yet to make a big trade in more than a year on the job. The Leafs still need to replace Tyler Bertuzzi and they need a third-line centre. Finally, the Leafs can have quite a bit of cap-space if they need it. There GM recently said the team wasn’t done.
These facts seem to suggest that the team could make their signature move before the season starts. Patrick Laine would be my choice (with Marner playing centre from now on) but I very much look forward to seeing who Brad’s choice is.
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