The Toronto Maple Leafs are holding on for dear life in the Eastern Conference playoff race. In any other season, the Leafs would likely be well out of a playoff spot. But the unusually tight race in the Atlantic Division, and the Eastern Conference overall, has kept Toronto within striking distance of a postseason berth.
However, recent rumors suggesting Chris Tanev could be out for the remainder of the season may force the Maple Leafs into making drastic changes. The team is already down two regular blueliners—Tanev and Brandon Carlo. To make matters worse, Jake McCabe left Saturday night’s game against the New York Islanders in the third period, and there’s still no update on his potential injury. The situation is looking increasingly dire for Toronto’s defense corps, and management needs to figure out what comes next.
**Navigating Cap Space and LTIR Limitations**
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Maple Leafs may have some cap flexibility to work with. This stems from the possibility of moving Tanev and Dakota Joshua to LTIR (Long-Term Injured Reserve). However, it’s important to note the new rules for this season. Teams can allocate a maximum of $3.8 million to LTIR, based on last year’s average. In Toronto’s case, they could only utilize $3.8 million—or Tanev’s $4.5 million cap hit, whichever is lower. Meanwhile, Joshua’s full $3.25 million cap hit would count toward adding another player if he’s placed on LTIR.
If both players end up on LTIR, the Leafs would have a little over $7 million to play with. While that’s enough to land one quality player, it may not be sufficient to address all the team’s pressing needs.
**No More Exploiting the LTIR Loophole**
Here’s an important change: The Maple Leafs cannot exploit the LTIR loophole that got so much attention in previous years. Previously, teams could use LTIR to add players during the regular season and, with no cap limit in the playoffs, activate injured players for a postseason push—even if it meant exceeding the salary cap. The Florida Panthers (Matthew Tkachuk) and Edmonton Oilers (Evander Kane) were recent beneficiaries of this system.
This year, that loophole is closed. If Toronto places Tanev and/or Joshua on LTIR, the club cannot activate them for the postseason and go over the cap. The same cap limitations that apply during the regular season remain in effect for the playoffs. If the team opts to put both players on season-ending LTIR, they will be out until next season regardless of cap compliance.
**Injuries Could Force Toronto’s Hand**
This current rash of injuries could force GM Brad Treliving into making critical moves. If the Leafs are serious about staying competitive, they’ll need to add another defenseman and potentially a depth forward. While the forward situation isn’t as urgent, bolstering the blue line is absolutely essential.
There’s been chatter that Rasmus Andersson is high on Toronto’s trade radar. However, the Leafs may not have the assets the Calgary Flames are looking for in return. That may mean exploring other, less impressive, options on the trade market.
The bottom line? The Maple Leafs are in dire straits. Unless internal options significantly step up, the club will have to pull a major rabbit out of its hat to survive this wave of injuries and remain in playoff contention.
https://heavy.com/sports/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/maple-leafs-trade-plans-injuries/