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Former NHL Coach Praises Maple Leafs Moves

Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau praised the Toronto Maple Leafs' offseason moves.

Jacob Punturi

Feb 21, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau gives instructions from the bench against the Seattle Kraken in the third period at Rogers Arena. Canucks won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau gives instructions from the bench against the Seattle Kraken in the third period at Rogers Arena. Canucks won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the middle of another exciting offseason. After another disappointing playoff exit, the team is trying yet again to make the right moves to get the organization over the hump.

Out went Tyler Bertuzzi, T.J. Brodie, Ilya Samsonov, John Klingberg, and Mark Giordano in an exodus of veteran players. To replace them, the Leafs focused on the blueline and in net, signing defensemen Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and goaltender Alex Stolarz. They also brought in a new head coach, hiring the Stanley Cup winner Craig Berube.

The Leafs hope that general manager Brad Treliving is pulling the right strings this summer. According to former NHL coach and now analyst Bruce Boudreau, the Leafs had the most impressive offseason in the NHL. He joined NHL Network recently and made the case for the Leafs.

"I'm not just saying this because I'm from Toronto," he said. "But I really like what they did with their defense. I mean, the three acquisitions that they made to bolster their defense, especially when you get (Chris) Tanev. I had (Oliver) Ekman-Larsson. When he's at his best, he's still a really good defenseman."

Tanev is a big addition for the Leafs, who need a defensive anchor on the blueline. He's been one of the most dependable stay-at-home defenders in the NHL over the last decade and just recently played a huge role with the Dallas Stars during their run to the conference finals.

Ekman-Larsson is fresh off of a Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. He played in a third-pairing role and contributed on the power play. The Leafs likely envision him playing a similar role with the team. Similarly, Anthony Stolarz was a valuable back-up to Sergei Bobrovsky as the Panthers won the championship.

With these moves, Boudreau believes that Toronto had the most impressive offseason in the NHL. He may be a bit biased in his thinking, but there's no denying that the Maple Leafs made some smart choices in the hopes of progressing in 2024.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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