When the Toronto Maple Leafs' season ended in the second round at the hands of the Florida Panthers, talk immediately switched to the big forwards, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, approaching free agency.
This is an important discussion, especially given the hole Toronto must fill if, and more likely when, Marner walks out the door on July 1. Tavares seems probable to remain a Maple Leaf after he, GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube had positive discussions during Toronto's exit meetings.
Aside from the two big fish, and RFA Matthew Knies, who still needs a contract, nothing else needs fixing in the top-six. Of course, Toronto would probably like to add a second-line center to shift Tavares down and add another winger into the mix. That could come via free agency or a trade in the summer.
But what about the Maple Leafs' bottom six?
Seven of Toronto's 36 goals (nearly 20 percent) in the playoffs came from players from the third and fourth lines. To make it simpler: Max Pacioretty (an unrestricted free agent) and Max Domi had three, and Nick Robertson had the other.
Steven Lorentz, Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann went the entire playoffs without finding the back of the net. McMann had three assists; however, you'd like to see him score at least once when he had 20 goals in the regular season.
In a perfect world, Toronto would like to see more scoring from their depth, especially when you look at a team like the Florida Panthers, who's getting over 28 percent of their goals from their bottom six. The Maple Leafs could have pushed to the finals had they gotten more depth scoring.
How can the Maple Leafs give their bottom-six a makeover?
In Game 7 against the Panthers, Toronto iced this bottom-six:
McMann - Domi - Pacioretty
Lorentz - Laughton - Jarnkrok
David Kampf, Ryan Reaves, and Nick Robertson were scratches
I don't have many gripes with the third line. Although Domi has a $3.75 million cap hit for the next three seasons, which is high, he produced at key moments for Toronto in the postseason, including the overtime-winner in Game 2 against the Ottawa Senators.
He, too, is well-loved in the dressing room, which is a positive.
McMann's playoff was a bit disappointing, and I think he'd agree with you if you questioned him about it. However, at $1.35 million for another season, plus his goalscoring touch, I think it would be smart for Toronto to hold onto him.
Given it was his first-ever NHL playoffs, there's plenty to learn before Toronto gets there again next April.
There doesn't have to be much said about Pacioretty. He came in on a professional tryout, signed a one-year, $873,770 contract, and did what was asked of him in the playoffs despite not playing much of the regular season. I believe you could throw Lorentz into the same category as Pacioretty. He didn't score, but he executed his role perfectly in the postseason.
This line will probably look entirely different entering next season, especially if Tavares gets bumped down to the third-line center spot. But I'd agree with bringing Pacioretty and Lorentz back.
Pacioretty is reportedly "leaning toward" a return to the Maple Leafs.
The biggest question marks, though, lie within the fourth line and the scratches. The Maple Leafs have David Kampf, a scratch for all but one game in the playoffs, signed for two more years at $2.4 million.
I'm curious whether Toronto's looking to move that money out or not.
Ryan Reaves has one more year at $1.35 million. At the trade deadline, the 38-year-old cleared waivers and joined the Toronto Marlies. He didn't score through 35 NHL regular-season games. The veteran forward, though, is loved by his Maple Leafs teammates, and Toronto would only suffer a $200,000 cap hit if they were to bury Reaves in the minors.
He'd probably like to play more in the NHL next season, so I wonder if he'd ask the Maple Leafs for a trade elsewhere.
After requesting a move last summer as a restricted free agent, Nick Robertson is once again an RFA. Toronto held onto him last September, signing the forward to a one-year, $875,000 contract. The 23-year-old scored 15 goals in 69 games, setting a new career-high. His playoff time was limited, though, to just three games.
Robertson is arbitration-eligible this summer, meaning he could push for more money. After a limited role and not much playing time in the playoffs, does he want to remain a Maple Leaf?
Calle Jarnkrok was injured for most of the season before returning late and playing in the playoffs. He has one more year remaining at $2.1 million. Berube enjoyed having the forward, so maybe Jarnkrok finishes his contract with the Maple Leafs?
He scored one goal through 31 games this season, regular season and playoffs combined.
Finally, on the list is Scott Laughton, who joined the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. It took the 31-year-old a bit of time to find his footing with his hometown club, but you could notice him becoming more comfortable as the playoffs approached.
He finished the postseason with no goals and two assists in 13 games. Laughton, though, was engaged throughout the entirety of the playoffs. You could argue that a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin was a tad much for the forward, but it's not horrible value at $1.5 million for another season.
Toronto's bottom-six doesn't need much of a makeover, really.
If you hold onto Domi, Laughton, McMann, Jarnkrok, Lorentz, and Pacioretty, there are six players who you could use, plus depth. You could argue a shake-up is needed, especially when looking at the goal-scoring in the playoffs.
Or you could hope that the same players in a similar scenario get it done next May.
This summer, Toronto has nearly $26 million in cap space. It could be $29.5 million if they moved on from Kampf and Reaves. Either way, the Maple Leafs have plenty of room for movement, even more so if Marner walks out the door on July 1.
That leaves opportunity for change within the top six, and if Treliving prefers, alterations in the bottom of Toronto's lineup.
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