Thoughts on Domi, Liljegren, Tanev, Robertson – Sportsnet.ca

TORONTO — What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Surely, whoever dreamt up that saying was referring to the relevance of a beat reporter’s latest column.

For in the time it takes to leave a Nevada strip hotel and check into home life, the Toronto Maple Leafs have re-signed two intriguing players, watched more walk away, secured a new top-four defenceman, watched a trade request go public, and focused their goaltending search.

Here are some quick thoughts on a news-filled Canada Day weekend in Leafland, as Brad Treliving & Co. remain in Las Vegas to spend their cash.

Domi ain’t leaving

The power of the fishbowl.

On Sunday, Domi signed the longest (four years) and richest ($15 million) contract of his NHL career despite scoring just nine goals in 80 games and once more in a seven-game playoff series loss to the Bruins.

No matter. 

The Maple Leafs love four things about their second Domi: his passing, his edge, his versatility, and his character.

Domi ranked second in the NHL this past season in 5-on-5 assists per 60 minutes (2.23). Only Connor McDavid (2.57) was more efficient with his passing. 

No pending UFA centreman registered more assists than Domi (38), and it certainly aided his case when he found quick on-ice chemistry with off-ice pal Auston Matthews after an injured Mitch Marner (ankle) fell off the top line in April.

“Do I want to come back? Absolutely,” Domi said at season’s end. “This team has everything it takes to do something special, and I would love to help them do that.”

Domi, 29, also registered career highs in fights (five) and penalty minutes (118) in his Toronto year, and it’s no secret that Treliving and new head coach Craig Berube would rather tame tigers.

The swift skater can play both wings or centre, chip in on the power play, and float around a top nine.

Domi also can handle and understands the market (as evidenced by the best re-signing announcement in club history), puts the team first and has a hunger to win.

Question becomes: Does his newfound comfort in term or his speed game take a toll into his 30s?

Liljegren remains a conundrum

Seven years after Timothy Liljegren was drafted in the first round, neither the player nor the Maple Leafs really know where their relationship is headed.

Why get married when you can keep prolonging the engagement?

The Maple Leafs re-signed the impending restricted free agent to a second bridge deal Sunday, more than doubling his salary: $3 million times two years.

Treliving was in a pickle.

Twenty-five-year-old, right-shot NHL defencemen aren’t easy to find. 

Had the GM not qualified Liljegren and let him walk out the door, that would be some atrocious asset management for a 17th-overall pick the team had poured so much development and patience into.

Yet Liljegren — who has been healthy scratched at least one game every postseason and has yet to assert himself as an everyday player — probably wouldn’t fetch a ton on the trade market.

That $3 million AAV? Liljegren has the stats (23 points in 55 games) to earn that had he needed to exercise his arbitration rights.

So here we are again: Liljegren and the Maple Leafs will head into the fall as always.

The defenceman wanting more opportunity, and the team wanting him to be deserving of it.

If Liljegren remains a third-pairing guy, it’s an overpay. If, with a healed ankle, he takes a meaningful step to the second unit, Treliving’s patience pays off.

Tanev trade to turn into a signing 

We wrote about Chris Tanev more extensively here, but suffice it to say, Treliving was able to secure a long-sought-after target — at a cost.

Good on Tanev, one of the NHL’s most respected warriors, for cashing in.

His six-year extension with the Maple Leafs comes in at a $4.5 million AAV, approximately 80 per cent of which will be paid in bonuses, according to Elliotte Friedman.

The right shot will be 40 years old when that contract expires.

No one will be surprised if the über-resilient but oft-injured Tanev “plays” out a couple of those final seasons on LTIR.

No one will be surprised if he partners well with Morgan Rielly, kills a grip of penalties and eats a million pucks in the short term.

Tanev’s homecoming contract essentially replaces T.J. Brodie’s.

Goalie focus narrows

The Domi and Liljegren raises haven’t left a ton of budget for a goaltending splash.

Word is, the Leafs will pick up a career veteran backup — Laurent Brossoit or Cup champ Anthony Stolarz — at a reasonable rate and short term. Then hope he is ready for an increased workload as Joseph Woll’s partner.

The concern here: Brossoit (Jets) and Stolarz (Panthers) no doubt had their save percentages boosted at least a little playing behind the two best team defences in the NHL this past season.

Robertson requests change of scenery

Nick Robertson was issued his qualifying offer Sunday but does not plan to re-sign with the Maple Leafs, as Chris Johnston reported.

The restricted free agent has requested a trade coming off career highs in games played (56), goals (14), and assists (13).

Unlike fellow pending RFAs Simon Benoit and Bobby McMann, Treliving didn’t initiate serious extension talks with Robertson’s agent, Pat Brisson, in-season.

Robertson has never made the roster out of training camp and was scratched in Game 7 in Boston. He’s been passed on the depth chart by McMann and Matthew Knies. He has a difficult time getting top-six minutes or a sniff on the power play.

Robertson’s best assets don’t fit the Leafs’ big needs. 

His only leverage is to withhold his services. Treliving holds the hammer.

One-Timers: Tyler Bertuzzi was open to returning to Toronto, but the Maple Leafs had no chance of matching the four years at $5.5 million the free agent secured in Chicago… Fourth-liner Noah Gregor was the only RFA the Leafs did not qualify.