With the Maple Leafs still technically in the hunt for a playoff spot, the last thing their fans want to think of is next season. But one or two losses in their final handful of games will put the focus squarely on the 2011-12 campaign.
As we’ve noted previously, the infusion of young Leafs with bright futures — most notably, defensemen Luke Schenn and Dion Phaneuf, forwards Phil Kessel and Mikhail Grabovski and goalie James Reimer — means the franchise won’t have to make wholesale changes yet again to its lineup.
That said, there will be a real temptation, as there always is in Toronto, for GM Brian Burke to spend all of the Leafs’ soon-to-be-available salary cap space. According to CapGeek.com, the team will have some $22.5 million in space — a number that gives them as much roster flexibility as virtually any of the NHL’s other organizations.
Some of that space must be used on new contracts for Toronto’s eight restricted free agents (including Schenn, Reimer, Tyler Bozak and Clarke MacArthur). But that leaves Burke a good chunk of change to go shopping via the free-agent scene and/or trade market.
Everyone’s sights will focus on unrestricted free agent centre Brad Richards, but for many reasons, the Dallas star centre likely isn’t destined for Toronto. Another possibility will be Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, one of the NHL’s dominant netminders whose presence could allow Reimer to develop his game without much pressure.
Beyond that, though, the free agent market is mighty shallow. Teams that tie up valuable cap room just for the sake of being able to brag they spend to the maximum allowable limit are doing themselves and their fans no favours.
Look at the San Jose Sharks, consistently one of the NHL’s most competitive franchises who never are in the habit of spending to the cap limit. Their patience allowed them to trade for star centre Joe Thornton when an opportunity arose.
That’s the plan Burke and the Buds ought to follow. Patience on the ice and on the financial ledger will eventually provide more options than they’ll have this summer.
