Sad news:Maple Leafs definitely Losing One of Domi or Bertuzzi Next Season as..

Maple Leafs Losing One of Domi or Bertuzzi Next Season

The Toronto Maple Leafs must come to terms with the fact that either Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi is unlikely to be on the

team come playoff time. Locking up Bertuzzi and Domi will be nearly tough

because to the way their contracts are structured up and the fact that both

players require some certainty in their next agreements, according to TSN

hockey insider Darren Dreger, who made an appearance on First Up recently.

Having just finished a game with four assists, Domi is blazing hot. In response to a question about whether an

extension was discussed, Dreger stated that the Maple Leafs and Domi have a

desire to complete the task at hand, but the clear problem is that the Maple Leafs

don’t possess a “bottomless pit” of cash once the extensions for Auston Matthews

and William Nylander begin to accrue. Regarding Bertuzzi, who has three goals

and five points in his past four games, he made the same statement.

Dreger continued, saying:

“Something has to give if you’re going to come up with a novel strategy to persuade these guys to forgo unbridled free liberty. How many entry-level contracts can you have playing in the National Hockey League, you know, with the players on your fourth line? In the NHL, how many defenses ranked sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth can you have playing every night? That’s the trade-off when trying to assemble a team of elite players.

The Maple Leafs Need to Be Aware of Inconsistency Issues and Money

The consistency of Domi and Bertuzzi’s production has also been problematic, in addition to the financial component of any deal. Although they haven’t played well all season, he claimed they are performing exceptionally well right now. If the Leafs are unsure if each player can continue to play at a level that justifies a significant rise, can they still invest in both?

Dreger stated, “These guys are at an age where money matters, the term matters.” In order to avoid testing the market, he continued, it will take much longer to get either. “I doubt they could afford both.”