Which Toronto Maple Leafs Should Stay Or Go This Summer?

The Toronto Maple Leafs don't have much to play for in their final 10 games, at least when it comes to being a Stanley Cup playoff team.

That ship has sailed, and with its departure, the focus in Leafs Land shifts toward the off-season – specifically, making roster changes.

The Leafs have a few untouchables – center Auston Matthews, right winger William Nylander and left winger Matthew Knies. But for the rest of the team, the next few weeks will essentially be an audition for a job next season and beyond – and yet for some players, it's almost certainly the end of the line in Toronto.

Here are the notable Leafs who many suspect either won't be back next season, or who need strong play the rest of the way to stick around Toronto beyond this season:

To know Morgan Rielly, even a little bit, is to like the guy. He's a Toronto hockey lifer, and he's almost always shown up to answer the bell with media, even in the wake of disappointing results.

But it really feels like it's in the interests of both parties for Rielly to move on from the Leafs. It's not working anymore for Rielly in this market, and while he has a full no-move clause in his contract, he has to know it's best to start somewhere new.

Rielly was never quite the No. 1 defenseman the team hoped he'd be. But who knows, in a different situation, he could still salvage what's left of his career. He's signed through 2030 at $7.5 million per season, but the 32-year-old's time in Toronto almost certainly is nearing an end.

The Leafs healthy-scratched Oliver Ekman-Larsson just before the trade deadline in anticipation of dealing him, but Toronto GM Brad Treliving didn't get the offer he was looking for and instead chose to retain the veteran defenseman.

That may change this summer, but if Treliving is only going to try to retool-on-the-fly next season – the way the Boston Bruins did this year – then it makes sense to hang onto Ekman-Larsson for the two years remaining on his contract.

Ekman-Larsson has had a strong season this year, and while he's 34, he's got gas left in his competitive tank. He's probably going to stick around the Leafs for a while longer. And while things may change for him at this time next year, you should expect Ekman-Larsson to remain in Blue & White for the foreseeable future.

He's another nice guy, but it's been nothing but underwhelming play for Carlo since he arrived in Toronto at last season's deadline.

He can play in your top-four defense corps, but he isn't a difference-maker.

Still, Treliving should get something decent for Carlo, who is signed through next season at a very reasonable rate. But if it takes the majority of next season to trade Carlo, so be it.

Treliving must regain the same type of assets he surrendered when he acquired Carlo, otherwise the Carlo trade will rank up there with the Scott Laughton acquisition as a major sin for Treliving.

Anthony Stolarz has had a rough go of it this season, dealing with multiple injuries.

But he stands out as a player Treliving will look into moving because Toronto has solid goalie depth in the organization, with AHL netminders Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov waiting in the wings for an opportunity at the NHL level.

Stolarz's contract extension begins next season, but at $3.75 million annually for the next four years, he's a cost-certain asset who should get Treliving a nice haul on the trade market.

You can't accuse Max Domi of not caring. He doesn't take playing in Toronto for granted, and that matters.

But it's also true that the 31-year-old center has only 33 points in 70 games this season – and that's down 14 points from his production in 2023-24.

Domi has a modified no-trade clause, but Treliving should be creating as much salary cap flexibility as possible, and Domi's $3.75-million salary for the next two seasons should have some value to one team or another.

A sudden fan favorite with three goals and five points in eight games since being recalled from the AHL, Bo Groulx is signed through next season at $812,500.

Is he probably a Cinderella story who soon turns into a pumpkin? Yes, probably. But he's cheap labor, and Toronto will need players like that next year.

Yet again, Nick Robertson seems to be scratching the surface of his potential – but that next competitive step has proven to be elusive for him.

He's an RFA this summer, but he's clearly not a favorite of Leafs coach Craig Berube, and his numbers this year – 13 goals and 29 points – reflect that.

Robertson's name wasn't mentioned at the trade deadline, and that's not necessarily a good thing. If Treliving could've got anything more than a third-round pick for Robertson, he'd have done it.

But this summer could be the end of the road in Toronto for Robertson. He needs a fresh start with a different employer.

Few NHLer were as snakebitten as Steven Lorentz this season, as he has only five goals and 15 points. But he's an honest, hard-working player giving you speed and physicality night in and night out. He should be retained.

A 14-goal, 35-point season was not what Treliving had in mind when he acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth last off-season, but that's what they've got from him this year.

The soon-to-be RFA winger could be given a qualifying offer and retained, but should the Leafs do that? Maccelli's $3.425-million salary cap hit could be spent on other players with more upside. Acquiring him was a gamble, and the gamble didn't pay off. 

Sorry, Calle and Philippe. The Leafs wish you and yours the best in your future endeavors. Both players have combined for 10 points this season.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.