Hockeywiztalks Hockey Blog

This is an extension of Podcast 112: What teams need to do to advance in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs; Here are my thoughts on what needs to be done for North Division teams to advance. Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have a historic rivalry in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and they look to renew it in the 1st round of the 2021 playoffs. Contrary to popular belief, I don't think this will be a cakewalk for the Toronto Maple Leafs, because the Montreal Canadiens are a tough team to play against. Toronto should be aware that Montreal in the playoffs is a completely different team than Montreal in the regular season. Toronto is obviously the better team on paper, but Montreal is not as bad as most people think. The Maple Leafs are top 6 heavy, while Montreal has tremendous depth and role 4 lines and 3 D pairs. It has been said before that the teams that do well in the postseason have better role players, if that is the case then Mo...

 It has been 54 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs last won a Stanley Cup, but they certainly do have the personnel on hand to win multiple Stanley Cups if they make some adjustments to the team. At the Trade Deadline, one major trade is made: Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Derick Brassard, Drake Cagguila from the Arizona Coyotes for Jimmy Vesey, 3rd round pick '21. The Maple Leafs get Brassard and Cagguila to bolster their depth for a deep playoff run. The Toronto Maple Leafs end up losing in the Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 6 games. Joe Thornton Retires after the 2020-21 season. Toronto Maple Leafs lose Zach Hyman to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion draft Before the 2021 draft, two major trades are made: Toronto Maple Leafs trade Travis Dermott, Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev, 2nd round pick '21 to the Anaheim Ducks for Josh Manson, Max Jones. The Anaheim Ducks acquire Josh Manson and Max Jones, the two players will provide some physicality and toughness to t...

Alex Pietrangelo is one of the top free agents in 2020 and the Toronto Maple Leafs would really love to add a defenseman of his caliber, especially because he would be the perfect defenseman to pair with Morgan Rielly on the 1st pair. However, if the Maple Leafs are to sign Alex Pietrangelo, they need to clear more cap space because the Leafs only have a little over 6 million in cap space this year. Before free agency, a few trades are made: Toronto Maple Leafs trade Andreas Johnsson, Travis Dermott to the Detroit Red Wings for Tiro Hirose, Joe Hicketts, 2nd round pick 2021. The Red Wings get a top 6 forward in Andreas Johnsson and a top 4 defenseman in Travis Dermott, while the Maple Leafs get a top 9 forward in Tiro Hirose, a top 6 defenseman in Joe Hicketts and a 2nd round pick. Maple Leafs also trade William Nylander, Timothy Liljegren to the Vancouver Canucks for Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, 1st round pick 2021. Vancouver Canucks get a dynamic top 6 forward in William Nylander t...

The Toronto Maple Leafs weren't very good in the 2000s; a big reason for this is because the Maple Leafs didn't draft very well. In this blog, i will redraft the Toronto Maple Leafs for a decade in hopes of turning them into a contending team. 2000: 24-Justin Williams over Brad Boyes 51-Antoine Vermette over Kris Vernarsky 90-Lubomir Visnovsky over Jean Francois Racine 100-Deryk Engelland over Miguel Delise The Toronto Maple Leafs draft 3 really solid players in Justin Williams, Antoine Vermette and Lubomir Visnovsky as well as a depth defenseman in Deryk Engelland. 2001: 17-Tim Gleason over Carlo Colaiacovo 39-Mike Cammalleri over Karel Pilar 82-Patrick Sharp over Brandon Bell 134-Kevin Bieksa over Kyle Wellwood The Maple Leafs draft two very good scoring wingers in Mike Cammalleri and Patrick Sharp as well as two solid defenseman in Tim Gleason and Kevin Bieksa. 2002: 24-Cam Ward over Alex Steen 57-Johnny Boychuk over Matt Stajan 74-Frans Nielsen ...

The Toronto Maple Leafs were the worst team in the Northeast Division during the 2007-2008 season; they were an aging team and in need of some fresh young talent. The Rebuild starts at the 2008 draft, where a few trades are made: Toronto Maple Leafs trade Mats Sundin to the Chicago Blackhawks for Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, 1st round pick 2008. The Chicago Blackhawks get Star Center that gets a chance to play for a contending team, while the Maple Leafs get two good young players in Ladd and Byfuglien and a 1st round pick. Bryan McCabe, Nik Antropov, 2nd round pick 2010 are traded to the Dallas Stars for Matt Niskanen, Loui Eriksson. Dallas Stars get Bryan McCabe a top 4 defenseman to round out the defense and Nik Antropov and big forward to play in the top 6. Toronto Maple Leafs get Matt Niskanen, a solid young defenseman and Loui Eriksson, a solid two way forward. Tomas Kaberle, Darcy Tucker are traded to the Buffalo Sabres for 1st round pick 2008, 1st round pick ...