32 Thots - #30 - Toronto Maple Leafs
In the third installment of 32 thots, we are going to take a deep dive into Garrett’s Toronto Maple Leafs. I cannot confirm or deny if any of the below is true.
Forwards: C
Your forward group has a few high-impact players and some depth, but also a lot of lower-tier players or unproven prospects. Key strengths include:
Top-tier talents: Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jonathan Huberdeau give you a solid offensive foundation. Oliver Bjorkstrand also adds scoring depth.
Role players: Players like Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, and Conor Sheary provide flexibility but aren’t major game-changers.
Young players: Brad Lambert and Shane Wright are great prospects for the future, but they need development before they can make a consistent impact.
Overall, the top-heavy nature of your forwards and the potential for improvement keep this group respectable (in the AHL) but not dominant.
Defense: C
Your defense is mediocre at best and well-rounded in the shape of a triangle. The highlights include:
Top defensemen: Erik Cernak and Samuel Girard bring high-level defensive skill with some offensive upside.
Good depth: John Marino, Luke Schenn, and Jake McCabe are strong defensive options who can play significant minutes without being liabilities.
Promising prospects: Players like Christian Kyrou and Pierre-Olivier Joseph have potential to develop into reliable contributors.
While there are no true Norris Trophy contenders here, you have a very steady group that should not be able to handle most situations effectively.
Goalies: C+
John Gibson is your best goaltender, but his recent performance in real life has been inconsistent. Pheonix Copley is serviceable, but he’s more of a backup option. Jesper Vikman and Jakub Dobes are interesting prospects, but neither is likely to make an impact soon. Your goaltending is the weakest part of your team, with some potential but little reliability at the moment.
Prospect Pool Overview: B
Your prospect list is quite deep but lacks a truly elite, franchise-changing player. Here’s a breakdown:
Top Prospects:
Shane Wright – A high-potential two-way center, but his development has been slower than expected. He still projects as a future top-six center.
Brad Lambert – Highly skilled but inconsistent. If he hits his ceiling, he could be a top-six offensive playmaker, but he’s also a boom-or-bust player.
Dmitri Simashev – A defensive powerhouse with strong skating. Could develop into a top-pair shutdown defenseman.
Seamus Casey – A high-offensive upside defenseman, but his size and defensive game are concerns. Likely a strong power-play QB in the future.
Filip Mesar – Speedy and skilled but might be more of a middle-six winger rather than a future star.
How Can You Improve?
1. Draft an elite prospect – You need a game-breaking forward or elite goalie prospect in 2024 or 2025.
2. Trade for a future star – If you can move assets for a top-line center or elite defenseman, your team could move from good to great in the future.
3. Develop Shane Wright & Brad Lambert properly – If one of them turns into a 1st-line center, that changes everything.
4. Stop being so stubborn when it comes to trading. You have wasted assets by holding onto them for too long and then you try and trade them for 17 firsts.
Overall Team Grade: C
Your team is set up to be competitive for years, but without a true superstar or an elite goalie, it’s hard to see it becoming a dominant powerhouse unless you land a top-tier talent soon. That said, you are not easy to trade with and I believe your stubbornness when it comes to trading will be your teams downfall and blockage from becoming a true powerhouse in the future.