3 difficult decisions Toronto Maple Leafs must make after Sheldon Keefe's firing

By Ryan Gagne

Modified May 09, 2024 16:51 GMT

On Thursday morning, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe, making the first of many difficult decisions the franchise must make in the weeks and months before the 2024-25 season.

Current general manager Brad Treliving should be the only person in upper management with job security coming aboard last summer. However, he's inherited a mess and now has to readjust the lineup and the coaching staff to remain competitive.

3 difficult decisions for Toronto Maple Leafs after Sheldon Keefe's firing

#1. Move on from Ilya Samsonov

In his locker room press conference, netminder Ilya Samsonov discussed how his one-year deal with the Maple Leafs has weighed on his mind all season and how he wants more stability (i.e., a more extended contract) next time around.

Although everyone wants job security, Samsonov will not find it in Toronto. He received a $3.5 million contract last summer after going through the arbitration process.

With a chance to prove his worth, Samsonov struggled all season, earning a demotion to the minors, only getting his job back when rookie netminder Joseph Woll got injured.

In the first round of the playoffs, Samsonov crashed and burned, losing all four games to the Boston Bruins, while Woll won both of his starts and saved the Maple Leafs' season for a couple of extra games.

Even though Samsonov would love to come back, the Maple Leafs need to move on and find a bona fide number-one goalie who can get the job done. Considering how cash-strapped Treliving will be, he must find Woll's partner through the trade market.

#2. Strip John Tavares of captaincy

John Tavares grew up in Mississauga, Ontario, part of the greater Toronto metropolitan area. As the top pick in the 2009 entry draft, he spent nine seasons with the New York Islanders before coming home in 2018.

After one season, the Maple Leafs management put the "C" on his sweater, and he's been team captain for five seasons now. How many combined division titles and playoff series have Toronto won during his tenure? Two.

John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs

If we are being realistic, their only division win came during the realigned 2020-21 season when the Maple Leafs were the top team in a weak Canadian Division. They then blew a 3-1 first-round lead to Montreal.

Even though the team has won at least 35 games in every season under Tavares' leadership, the club has won a single playoff series and is 16-21 overall, including losing three consecutive Game 7s.

Historically, it wouldn't be the first time someone has lost their captaincy. Still, with Tavares playing in the final season of his deal and unlikely to return, it may be time to move in a different direction regarding team leadership.

#3. Trade Mitch Marner

Mitch Marner expressed his desire to remain with the Maple Leafs, saying that the team is treated like "Gods" in the community. Despite his public statements, Marner's time in Toronto may be nearing an end.

Although he controls his future and can axe any deal presented to him, it will be up to Treliving to inform the player that he won't be coming back when his contract expires in 2025. His best option would be to accept a trade before becoming a free agent.

By not moving this summer, Marner's future will dominate the headlines all season and will most likely hamper his performance, possibly putting a dent in his market value with a subpar campaign in 2024-25.

Even though breaking up the core four will be difficult, doing so today and not tomorrow will be the only thing that keeps Toronto competitive in the upcoming season. Ultimately, it all starts with Marner, who has the most trade value.