Urgent roster need emerges in Toronto as shocking stat gets pointed out by Bruce Boudreau!
The former head coach has Identified the Maple Leafs’ biggest problem. More below:
Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau has always been a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. That’s why he took the time to analyze what needs to be done by general manager Brad Treliving over the summer and has identified, via Leafs Latest, what need the Leafs need to address during the offseason.
After getting once again ousted in the second round of the postseason earlier this month, the Leafs need more offense from their back end. This is what Boudreau identified Leafs Morning Take when he researched league’s statistics:
“What I think the Leafs need is— they were the lowest-scoring team offensively from the blue line last year— and I think they need another right-handed defenseman that can score, that can put up points.
“One of the reasons I think Morgan Rielly didn’t have a good year is because he wasn’t used on the power play, which is where he got a lot of his points.
“I think the Leafs only scored like 21 goals or something from the defense. They need to get a little more aggressive offensively from that standpoint.
“That, to me, is a need they have.
“I think their goaltending is fine. I think their forward depth this year— their third and fourth lines— had a little… you know, Domi came on at the end. If he can continue to do that, then he’s a valuable asset.
“So, I mean, I think their forwards are good. They’re gonna have to replace, obviously, Marner if he goes. I mean, Tavares— it’s not 100% that he’s gonna sign or that they’re gonna re-sign him.
“So they have a little bit of work to do, but I think the base of the Toronto Maple Leafs is really good. And the way Craig plays, you can fit different people into that and they’ll still be really good.”
Since Toronto was eliminated by the Florida Panthers, again, rumours have been loud on not only the future of pending free agents Mitch Marner and John Tavares, but also on whether a veteran defenseman like Morgan Rielly could get traded. He has five years left at $7.5 million per season, and could be hard to move, and as Boudreau pointed out, he might not have the best chance to record more points on the power-play.
It remains to be seen what happens this summer, but one thing is clear, the Maple Leafs must make the adequate changes to get over the second round next time.
