Rebuilding the Leafs with Pieces Not Picks

If the Toronto Maple Leafs are serious about rebuilding they need to be serious about the path they take in doing so. Sure, the return on a player like Daniel Winnik is going to be draft picks, but given the organisation's horrendous track record at the draft it needs to stop there.rnrnCan you recall the last all-star drafted by the Leafs? At this point the organization doesn't have the right people making decisions. Teams drafting after Toronto have a sense of assurance knowing that a good player will still be available.rnrnAdd scouts to Brendan Shanahan's list of organisational needs along with GM, Head Coach, and team leadership.rnrnSo Mr. Nonis, while the gun remains in your hand, I offer my advice:rnrnMake what you have now, look like this.rnrnvan Reimsdyk Bozak Clarkson (C)rnMcDavid Richards (A) StromernHolland Kadri NylanderrnKomorov Cizikas WilsonrnMcLaren KozunrnrnReilly HamonicrnFinn Franson (A)rnGardiner RobidasrnrnBernier BibeaurnrnBreak down:rnrn1) Kessel to the Islanders for Strome, Hamonic, and Cizikasrnrn2) Phaneuf to the Kings for Richards with $1M on Richards' contract retainedrnrn3) Reimer, Gautier, Percy, Preds' 2015 1st, Leafs' 2015 1st for Oilers' 2015 1strnrn4) Lupul to Capitals for Tom Wilsonrnrn5) Find a partner for Gardiner perhaps push for Seabrook next summer?rnrn6) Give Clarkson the chance to be the guy he is paid to be. He did a photo shoot with Wendel Clark because that's the role he can play if he is given the chance.rnrnPlayer are slotted in roles they can play. There is also room for players to move up and down the line up, and still fit in (Kadri could play as the 2nd line centre; Strome could move up; Holland could play as the 4th line centre; and so on).rnrnConnor Brown and Josh Leivo may crack the line-up. rnrnIf you develop young players with no insulation you end up like Edmonton. Guys like Richards, Franson, Clarkson, are not ideal, but they bring experience and competitiveness plus Franson and Clarkson have been bleeding blue since they were kids.rnrnBuild an identity. Get the right people in place, and begin using future draft picks the way this new era dictates.rnrnLastly, although he is under contract with another team, Bruce Boudreau sites his dream job as coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs as per Bob McCown - he wants to be part of the solution.

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