TORONTO (Mar. 10) — There are a number of seminal dates in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Apr. 11, 2014 is fast–rising in prominence. It was the day Brendan Shanahan became president of the hockey club.
The Hall–of–Fame power forward brought energy and design to a stale franchise that had missed the playoffs in a full, 82–game schedule for a staggering eight consecutive years. His strategy required the team to bottom out for a couple of seasons — hardly a chore for the abysmal Leafs — thereby increasing lottery odds in the National Hockey League draft. It seemed to work, as the club procured William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in consecutive summers. More than a decade later, though, it appears the Maple Leafs chose a poor amalgam of skill and stoicism. As a group (bolstered by free agent John Tavares in 2018), these gifted performers have been monumentally disappointing when the stakes increase, capturing one playoff round in eight years.
With an absurd ninth attempt on the horizon, the mixture has become contaminated. Another date, therefore, must ascend in the pantheon of significant moments: Sep. 13, 2019, when Marner, coming off entry level, accepted his first NHL contract: six years and $65.358 million with a cap hit of $10,903,000. The kicker — and this is all on Shanahan — was approving a full no–movement clause in the final two years of the arrangement. That for a restricted free agent who could play nowhere but Toronto… and whose playoff contributions were minuscule. Marner had no leverage other than withholding his services. Still, they gave him the keys and the yacht and told him “you decide if and when to sail.” Such full contract control would never be relinquished by a club not mesmerized by its own folly. Or, a team with a rational, long–term plan. And, if so, it would be reserved for the most–elite performers; multiple Stanley Cup winners (see Sidney Crosby). Yielding its right to manage Marner’s future set the tone for what we see today: a war of attrition between a pampered athlete and a stubborn, conflicted team. All of which is reflected in the parochial headlines; each side claiming to be passionately in love with the other. The bullshit just drips off the news pages and TV screens. Only a moron would take to heart the balderdash from either party.
If the Leafs “want Mitch here” for a long time, why did they try to unload him on Carolina last Friday? You think they’d pull that on the real prince, No. 34? Even for Mikko Rantanen? Give me a break. Marner has become the enemy because he is last man standing amid the failed playoff core. Matthews and Nylander are lucratively locked in, whether or not they hit “Cruise Control” after mid–April. With Marner, the Leafs have done… nothing. I suspect that Shanahan and Treliving have yet to tender Darren Ferris a concrete, long–term proposal. Both parties strongly implied over the weekend that serious negotiation, if there is to be, will occur after the playoffs. Which is sensible from the club’s perspective, yet rather galling to Marner and Ferris. I don’t know if Mitch wants to stay here beyond the current season. When he talks robotically through clenched teeth, it’s difficult to draw intention. All players suggest, at one time, they would like to remain with their incumbent team heading toward the trade deadline or free agency. Many of them are lying. In this case, I’ve come to believe that Marner truly wants to remain alongside Matthews and Nylander, yet knows that he’ll need to accept less than market value. There’s not a chance in hell the Leafs will pay him as much as Matthews ($14 million base salary), yet Mitch will certainly fetch that amount elsewhere in free agency. He has full control over everything except the Leafs not wanting him back.
Which, at his apparent asking price, seems rather clear.
If the Leafs hadn’t already spoiled Matthews and Nylander, straight money wouldn’t be an issue. The Core–3 would be proportionately under contract beneath the McDavids, Draisaitls and MacKinnons of the world, all of whom have at least played for the Stanley Cup. Instead, we have inner–competition among athletes that have routinely withered in the post–season slog, yet insist on being paid more than the next guy. It’s an uncompromising situation hatched on that September day in 2019 when Shanahan and Kyle Dubas bowed at the feet of Marner and Ferris. Two years of control at the end of your first NHL contract. With no playoff résumé. What standard was there for Marner to attain before asking for another exhorbitant commitment from the Maple Leafs: a single, undeserving series triumph over Tampa Bay before getting destroyed by Florida? These guys, as a group, have done zippo in the big, pressure moments. Consider, again, that five times in the past six years, Toronto has been eliminated in the decisive match of a playoff (or, play in) series. In each of those games, the Leafs have scored one goal. Forcing their netminder to pitch a shutout for a regulation win. It hasn’t worked. Yet, the prime culprits, whose hands turn to clay in the clutch, want to be the loftiest–paid trio in the NHL. Something doesn’t add up.
As usual, most fans are siding with the team. It’s a hockey epidemic in these parts. Even if history shows how the Maple Leafs have routinely eaten their own. From Frank Mahovlich… to Dave Keon… Mike Walton… Lanny McDonald… Darryl Sittler… Rick Vaive… Russ Courtnall… Wendel Clark… Doug Gilmour… Curtis Joseph… Dion Phaneuf… Phil Kessel… Zach Hyman… and, now, Marner. All of whom have — or will — leave the team in dubious, conflicting circumstances. Yet, it’s always the player’s fault. In this case, the writing has long been on the wall. Barring an unforeseen march through the Eastern playoffs in which the big forwards suddenly dominate, this Core–4 thing has to be blown to smithereens. Why, then, would the Leafs commit anything to Marner beforehand?
The entire situation has been gruesomely mismanaged; each side wavering. While the Maple Leafs will suffer the embarrassment of a 100–point player walking as a free agent this summer, neither is there justification to unite Marner long–term with Matthews and Nylander. Yet, losing Marner for zilch — the probable outcome — will reflect poorly on the club for the decision Shanahan approved nearly 5½ years ago, handing an unaccomplished playoff performer full control at the end of his first NHL contract.
You can pin this one directly on the boss.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
After watching the Avs outclass the Leafs, then watching them blow a 3 goal lead and beat Utica in a shootout and then watch the healthy Leafs lose on home ice to the Panthers missing Ekblad and Tkachuk I still can’t believe how bad the Leaf have been managed. Was there nobody in their whole organization who was willing to say trading Minten and Grebenkin and two 1st round picks for 30 year old Laughton and a slow Carlo was a really dumb idea? It is pathetic how badly they have been managed but that’s it no prospects and no draft picks which means three years before they can start an actual rebuild and the best we can hope for is a Cup in ten years.
Right On! Fans see it. How come the media doesn’t tell the truth like this? Heard Kypreos get on Rielly earlier in the season, but that’s it. I’d rather have Connor Dewar and Conor Timmins plus all those assets than Laughton and Carlo. They spent for nothing, not making the team any better. Dewar and Timmins each have a goal now with Pittsburgh. The Pens are 3-0 since the deadline. And the Leafs?
Howard,
I am genuinely curious: Can you name any other professionals sports team President/VP of Operations who has been with the same team and role for 10+ years, has notwon more than ONE playoff series (or in case of the NFL one playoff game) during that time, and still had their job?
I will only disagree on a minor detail. The Leafs are the only team that will be willing to pay Marner $14 million. The bar has been set by Rantanen at $12 million. He is far better than Mitch, particularly in the playoffs where it really counts. Let him walk and let’s start again. This season is another write off. As we speak, Panthers, Lightening, Capitals, Knights, Stars, Oilers and Jets are just chomping at the bit for the playoffs to start. I see none of that in the Leafs. They are dreading another early playoff exit. They have lost already.
Bang on Howard, stagnent SHANAHAN was a great power forward but his building skills aren’t there. Leafs last chance to move Marny was almost 2 years ago and they didn’t. Also think they should have traded Mathews, good skill but to passive to be captain. Hey anything can happen but I think we all know it’s another first round exit even if they meet Ottawa. Leafs are notorious over payers rewarding this soft core 4 before winning anything. And the beat goes on, ticket prices will rightfully go up next season. And leafs management will continue to overhype. Look at the good teams that make the tough decisions for the benefit of the team, Florida Tampa vgk col. They don’t worry about hurting anybodies feelings.
What’s most perplexing to me, is that Shanahan won 3 cups & was one of the toughest SOB skilled power forwards to ever play in the league. If there’s anyone whom you’d think would understand the type of players DNA necessary to persevere through 4 rounds of war it would be him. Those of us who are honest and observant, can plainly see that the core 4 lack that F U, balls to the wall, go to the dirty areas, hit everything that moves, put the body on the line, play with grit and sandpaper and an execute when it matters killer instinct. This team is rotten to the core 4 come playoff time. Shanny’s gotta know this. The fact he signed these players with such restriction, has me wondering whether he’s happy to sell the illusion that they are annual cup contenders knowing full well they are incapable of doing so, to keep the fan base engaged and remain thirsty for lords stanley. There is no other logical alternative. Marner is as good as gone. Wish the others would follow. *
* I can stomach Nylander. With the right group around him I believe he’d rise to the occasion.
Shanahan was a good player and played on cup winning teams. But being a player is not the same as being a coach, is not the same as being a GM, is not the same as being team President. Good players don’t usually make good coaches, good coaches don’t make good GMs and so on. The underlying problem with this regime is that they didn’t want to slowly build the team. They wanted to expedite it, by taking short cuts, signing ufas like Patrick Marleau, making deadline trades for first and second round picks, a lot of them, and not knowing what they really have, letting Zach Hyman go and trading away Connor Brown and Nazem Kadri while bringing in Tavares and Domi. Mistakes, all mistakes. These most recent deadline move, complete mistakes. They haven’t made a good move since drafting Auston Matthews. Still waiting. Nine years. Shanny has failed.
Trading Rantanen for Marner might seem alright at first glance, but it fails to tackle the core issues with the Maple Leafs’ flawed strategy. Toronto frequently finds itself trapped in their own zone, and they rely too heavily on Marner to advance the puck up the ice, largely because they lack a defenseman capable of effectively getting it out of their own end. They can’t keep a lead going into the third period.
What the Leafs desperately need is a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman who can quarterback the play and transition the puck up the ice. To land one, they are going to have to trade Easton Cowan while hoping they can also offload Rielly’s contract.
If the team doesn’t make it past the first round, I’d argue it’s time to send Berube packing and bring in Quenneville as a replacement. I give Shanahan credit for having the courage to tank for high picks and kickstart the Leafs’ rebuild. However, his biggest misstep, was failing to secure that Norris Trophy defenseman—either through the draft or a trade. Shanahan will have to go
Teams don’t give away #1 capable defencemen, and while the TML hype machine has turned Easton Cowan into the most anticipated/coveted junior player and star in the making the reality most assuredly falls short. The TML hype machine sells Reilly as a #1 or 2, and as good a fellow/teammate as he seems he’s never been that good a player.
Teams draft #1 defencemen. Good teams focus their scouting on finding defencemen. TML focusses on jersey sales.
Um…. The “courage to tank”? That’s the easiest thing to do in hockey. Just trade away your assets and it’s done for you. The Leafs drafted well for a period of 4-5 years but there are pieces didn’t fit once they got here. That’s where you needed courage. The courage to move one of your top players to improve the team, like Colorado did. For a heart and soul player, Shanahan is a gutless president.
I’ve always agreed with the content of this blog; yet even still I manage to be razzle-dazzled by the star power of the team. Maybe everyone (plus Stolarz) will dial in Despite watching the saga, I feel like there is a chance for them come late April, and May. Fool me 7 times, shame on me. It’s just so baffling, infuriating, and amusing all at the same time. Since the fabled comeback OT loss to Boston so many moons ago, the Leafs have become my reality TV addiction.
Well said…
The smart strategy would’ve been to trade Matthews for a boatload of assets and keep Marner. Too late now!
Yessir.
Totally agree Howard. As usual they threw away what little future they had at the trade deadline. Watching the last game against the Avs it was pretty clear they will not go far this year as they were totally outclassed. I expect the usual first round exit. There is not much to look forward to now unless they get new management that can build a winner like Vegas in six years. More likely is a few more first round playoff exits then a new failing rebuild.
Way to go Howard. You’ve nailed it. It’s a slow painful death to our dreams of seeing this farcical franchise finally hoist a Cup.