One less Maple Leafs option for GM with Markstrom trade

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Sheldon Keefe got his goalie on Wednesday.

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Never mind that Keefe is now coaching the New Jersey Devils and will have the luxury of starting Jacob Markstrom following a trade with the Calgary Flames.

To be sure, there was Maple Leafs interest in Markstrom, but when a deal between the Flames and Devils fell apart before the National Hockey League trade deadline in March, there remained the belief that a Flames/Devils trade with Markstrom as the centrepiece eventually would be consummated.

Would Markstrom have looked rather nice in the Leafs’ blue and white, especially considering the team’s situation in goal? There’s no doubt about that. The Flames’ retention of 31.25% of Markstrom’s salary, bringing the cap hit down to $4.125 million US from $6 million for the next two seasons, would have suited the Leafs well had it also been part of a swap with Toronto.

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Despite his desire for a reunion with Markstrom in Toronto after signing the netminder to a six-year contract in 2020 when he was running the Flames, Leafs general manager Brad Treliving will have to set his goaltending sights elsewhere.

You can imagine that process began not long after the Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins on May 4.

Speaking of the Bruins, if they move goalie Linus Ullmark, the Ottawa Senators could be the landing spot. We can’t see the Bruins seriously considering the Leafs to be a trading partner, not with the recent playoff history between the two teams.

The biggest netminding splash Treliving could make via trade would involve Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators. The 29-year-old has one year remaining on a four-year contract that comes with a $5-million cap hit before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. With Saros, the Leafs wouldn’t have to worry about Joseph Woll and his history of injuries. Woll immediately would become the backup if Toronto was able to pry Saros out of Nashville.

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Of the mock trades that have involved Mitch Marner, one of the bigger pieces of speculation has the star winger going to Nashville in a trade for Saros. It’s a nice thought for those who want Marner gone. In reality, though, Marner has every intention of playing through the last year of his contract in Toronto, and we’re told that new coach Craig Berube welcomes the opportunity to work with the 27-year-old.

Now, if Treliving was able to find a way to make a trade for Saros without Marner as a part of it, by all means, get it done.

Other goalies who could be in play in a trade include John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks, Elvis Merzlikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

You could argue that Woll, if healthy, would be a better option than any of them.

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One soon-to-be free agent who has been linked to the Leafs is the Winnipeg Jets’ Laurent Brossoit. The 31-year-old shone in a limited role last season, posting a .927 save percentage in 23 games while compiling a record of 15-5-2. After carrying a cap hit in 2023-24 of $1.75 million, Brossoit will get a nice salary bump and likely will get something between $2 million and $2.5 million on the open market. That’s affordable for the Leafs, but Treliving would have to do more.

There’s going to have to be something of a veteran safety net with a third goalie, not unlike the role that Martin Jones served last season.

Cam Talbot, Casey DeSmith or Scott Wedgewood could be a fit.

The goaltending issue is one of several that Treliving will have to tackle to a conclusion in the coming weeks. Reshaping his blue line is a priority, and that’s probably where the bulk of the $19 million (approximately) that Treliving has under the cap will be spent. There’s a hole at third-line centre that has to be filled as well.

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Down in Newark, meanwhile, Keefe has no similar concern with his goaltending.

That the former Leafs coach now has Markstrom, the guy that Treliving signed to a long-term deal in Calgary, should add some spice when the Leafs and Devils clash in the coming season.

LOOSE LEAFS

The Leafs haven’t yet released their pre-season schedule for 2024-25, but we know when they will play their longest rival, the Montreal Canadiens, in the tuneup for the regular season. The Canadiens on Wednesday released their six-game exhibition schedule, revealing a home-and-home set with the Leafs. Toronto will play host to Montreal at Scotiabank Arena on Sept. 26 and the clubs will meet two nights later at the Bell Centre. The Leafs are expected to reveal their full pre-season schedule in the next several days … Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted to X on Wednesday that it’s believed the Ducks have interest in hiring Rich Clune to be an assistant coach. It would be a natural step for Clune, who has been widely respected in the Leafs organization, first as a player and then with the development staff. Last season, Clune was promoted to assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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