Significant work ahead for Maple Leafs, Oilers — The Fourth Period

Chayka spoke with Moldaver well in advance of his introductory presser – understanding where your captain’s head is at will impact your plan. The Leafs will outline that plan and relay their intentions, but Matthews wants to see action. Matthews will not commit purely based on intent. Chayka has until mid-July to prove to Matthews, William Nylander and Leafs Nation that this team can return to contention next season and grow from there.

Augmenting the blueline is “a priority” for Chayka, and he insinuated moves to the defensive corps are on the horizon. Will that result in trading Morgan Rielly, for example? He has a full no-movement clause, but the previous regime entertained that possibility this season and I expect Chayka to explore that option this off-season. Brandon Carlo could also be a trade candidate as he enters the final year of his contract.

Beyond questions to the defense, the Leafs need a third-line centre, potentially another top-six forward, and must reshape their fourth line. The $24 million in salary cap space will help, if you allocate around $2.5 million to McKenna, Chayka cannot fish exclusively in this year’s shallow free agent pond, which is why he’s already started to explore the trade market with reports of Toronto’s interest in Vincent Trocheck popping up this week.

A similar situation is unfolding in Edmonton. The Oilers are in win-now mode as Connor McDavid enters his two-year contract extension starting July 1, so this is about far more than simple tinkering with the roster.

McDavid and fellow superstar Leon Draisaitl made is clear this season that the Oilers need meaningful improvements. Otherwise, there is a sense that McDavid’s future in Edmonton may not extend beyond the 2027-28 season.

The Oilers were going to have a very busy summer, even before they axed Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, who can sit at home for the next three years and collect around $3 million per season. With all eyes on Bruce Cassidy, sources tell me the Oilers are going to interview former Leafs coach Craig Berube. Fixing the botched coaching change is atop his list, but Edmonton GM Stan Bowman knows he has a multitude of holes to fill.

Goaltending, retooling the blueline, adding a top-six winger, finding a third-line centre and adding toughness to the fourth line are all checklist items in Edmonton, and with around $16.65 million in salary cap space, they too must look beyond the UFA market to fill their needs.

Darnell Nurse’s future also seems to be up in the air. His name was floated ahead of the trade deadline and Bowman is expected to explore options this summer, with San Jose being a potential fit.

Both the Oilers and Leafs have less than two months to show their captains they mean business. The work has begun ahead of the Conference Finals, which don’t start until Wednesday (West) and Thursday (East), and there’s a lot of heavy lifting needed.

HERE AND THERE

• There is chatter of some movement within the hockey ops department in Edmonton, as some individuals may be elevated up the ranks.

• It sounds like more off-ice changes are coming in Vancouver, as their front office may see a shakeup after this week’s GM/Co-Presidents announcement, and within the N.Y. Islanders organization, where their AHL affiliate in Hamilton may have a new GM.

• As I reported on Thursday, some teams are curious as to the future of Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck after his end-of-season remarks. The Jets don’t want to move him, that’s clear, but that isn’t calming the waters. Winnipeg needs to make some improvements, specifically to their second-line, or tougher comments may come from the crease.

• The Los Angeles Kings are casting a wide net of their own as they search for a new coach. Interim bench boss D.J. Smith is under consideration for the full-time gig, but GM Ken Holland wants to explore all his options, including Cassidy.

• We may not see an official announcement until early-June, but 2024 10th overall pick Anton Silayev will be signing his entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils.

• Among the St. Louis Blues players we’ll see popping up in trade chatter this summer are goalie Jordan Binnington, winger Jordan Kyrou and defenceman Colton Parayko.

• It looks like forward Ilya Mikheyev will be hitting the open market this July as a UFA, as an extension with Chicago does not sound likely, at this stage.

• On Binnington, as much as he’s linked to Edmonton, if the Florida Panthers cannot get Sergei Bobrovsky locked up to a new contract, Binnington will be on their radar, too. Bobrovsky, meanwhile, wants to stay but he wants term and while he’ll take a discounted AAV, it hasn’t appealed to the Panthers, so far.

• Three important extensions for Philadelphia this summer: pending RFAs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, and goalie Dan Vladar, who is entering the final year of his current contract.

• Back on the curiosity train, a lot of teams want to see what happens in Dallas with Jason Robertson, who would command over $12 million per season elsewhere. With $11M in cap space, the Stars are going to have to be creative here and likely move out at least one body. Defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25M AAV) was being dangled before the deadline and GM Jim Nill may explore the possibility again.

• In Calgary, the Flames are pretty much open for business. Blake Coleman is still a prime candidate to move, while centre Morgan Frost is another to keep an eye on.