Four Leafs prospects set to lose waivers exempt status next season, which could cause some roster complications
With the season coming to an end in very disappointing fashion, the Toronto Maple Leafs head into the off-season with several question marks looming from top-to-bottom. After being unable to take advantage of a somewhat advantageous matchup - at least in contrast to the alternative - the Maple Leafs will have to look at themselves in the mirror before undertaking another tumultuous regular season campaign.
With so much cap space tied up by the team's marquee players, the Leafs had a few aces up their sleeves this season who were waivers exempt. Heading into the 2023-24 season, Joseph Woll, Bobby McMann, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, and Filip Kral are 4 players who spent time with the big club this past season that will now require waivers to be sent down in the fall.
We are well aware of all the buzz and questions lurking around the Core 4 and any adjacent top-6 players. Money is tight as always and we also don't even know if Kyle Dubas will remain the general manager of the club, let alone if Sheldon Keefe remains behind the bench. Woll will likely factor into the plan in a larger role than the other 3, since there's a very good chance he will either be starting or backing up to start the season after a very successful 2022-23 campaign at both levels. McMann had 29 points in 30 games for the Toronto Marlies and played relatively well in his 10-game stint with the Maple Leafs, so he could factor into next season's plans with the big club as well.
Kral only made it into 2 games this year, and Der-Arguchinstev had a very good campaign for the Marlies where he scored 40 points in 50 games, but did not see much action with the Leafs, being limited to just one appearance.
The roster as a whole will likely cause several questions, debates, and arguments moving forward but also rightfully so after another disappointing season. Ryan O'Reilly, David Kampf, Noel Acciari, Michael Bunting, Zach Aston-Reese, and Alexander Kerfoot are among the crop of pending UFAs and with only a shade over $7 million in available cap space, there's sure to be a lot of maneuvering around to fit all the appropriate pieces ahead of the 2023-24 season.
