Insider suggests that the Leafs could be preparing for some changes relating to captain John Tavares
In the wake of another disappointing first round loss, the Toronto Maple Leafs have some big decisions to make this summer. If the Buds decide that this core was close enough to getting it done against Tampa to warrant giving it another go, there may still be some alterations, specifically relating to captain John Tavares and how he is deployed.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on SN590, there are questions surrounding whether Tavares will play center or shift over to the wing next season. We saw a bit of a career resurgence from veteran star Claude Giroux when he was shifted from center to wing.
With players who begin to lose a step, and who may not be the most fleet-of-foot, a shift to the wing can remove some of the responsibility that a player is forced to take on from shift to shift, thus helping them to become more efficient with their energy and more effective with a lighter workload.
Moving the soon-to-be 32-year-old over to the wing does create a hole in the lineup however, so if that is the plan, the Leafs will need to make a move to bring in a 2C to play behind Auston Matthews.
In addition, Friedman believes that the Leafs are looking to add some "tenacity" within their top-6. It's unclear as to whether or not the Buds would be willing to move someone within their top 6 to acquire such a player or if they'll simply wait to see who might be available in free agency.
| POLL | ||
MAI 16 | 2473 ANSWERS Insider suggests that the Leafs could be preparing for some changes relating to captain John Tavares Should John Tavares play on the wing next season? | ||
| Yes | 881 | 35.6 % |
| No | 794 | 32.1 % |
| Only if the Leafs bring in a capable 2C | 798 | 32.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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