Is the Leafs rebuild about to begin?

     According to various reports President of the Toronto Maple Leafs Brendan Shanahan has gotten full permission from "higher ups" to start a full rebuild. Some of members Leafsnation wish this would have occurred 10 years ago If he goes through and strips it down and starts over with a complete rebuild where does he begin?  

Dion Phanuef; I’m in the minority

      Is he overpaid? Yes. But the beating and disrespect that Dion Phanuef gets to me is mind blowing.  He’s in the top 50 defenseman in the NHL; compared to the other better reguards in the league; they all have a reliable partner on the back end. Phaneuf’s partners over the year have been Carl Gunnarsson, Jake Gardnier and/or Cody Franson. My prime example is this; look at LA or Chicago; they have 1 offensive defenseman paired with a reliable stay at home de-man (through all of their pairs). Only reason why I’d say get rid of the captain is to save you the cap hit now. In the last 3-4 years of his contract it becomes harder to move.

Step 1; who do you keep

     If this talk is true; the first and most obvious step is who do you want to keep going forward? Reports today suggest Nylander, Van Riemsdyk, Kadri, Rielly, Gardnier & Bernier.  I personally also keep Holland & Komarov; for many reasons; proven NHL depth and better than average penalty killers.

     Other guys Leafs will look to build around; Connor Brown, a young 20-year-old AHL rookie 34 Pts; 46 GP. Josh Leivo has shown signs of being a decent NHLer, same could be said for Peter Granberg, Stuart Percy.

Step 2; Don’t tank it; but.....

     Those who you believe will be a part of the future you play now. You do not want to wait to the pre-season the following season to evaluate who’s a keeper and who’s not. As an example; Granberg, Loov, Percy need extended games near the end of the season same goes up front Biggs, Gauthier, Nylander. Assuming Reimer is no longer part of the future you bring up either Antoine Bibeau and/or Chris Gibson and play them 3-4 games each. Just my opinion they should be the future netminders not Jonathan Bernier.

Step 3 Play the pending RFA’s

      The Leafs have Seven RFA’s currently playing with the AHL Marlies.  Once the deadline is over and 5-7 contracts are moved out; bring up those RFA’s to determine if the Leafs should maintain services at year end. Example Kozun, Carrick, Mckegg, McWilliam, & Eric Knodel (all RFAs) bring them up for 5-10 games (or the rest of the season) if their play is not NHL quality you simply do not qualify them and move on.

Step 4; move expiring contracts

Assuming this is the case and a full rebuild is to start; I would do the following, trade any expiring contract or undesirable term in which you have ZERO interest in keeping (assuming they are movable.).

My asking prices would be (for the harder contracts to move)

Smith for 7^th rounder

Booth for 6^th rounder

Holzer for 6^th rounder

Reimer for 4 or 5^th rounder

Robidas for 6^th rounder

Clarkson for 5^th (eat 2 million per year of contract)

Step  5 do the Burkey

       Salary would be going out (after you trade away UFAs); not much would be coming back in. So teams like Montreal or Minnesota that are up against the cap; take a player with salary aka Josh Harding, Jacob Markstrom, Peter Budaj or a Bryan Allen. They are buried in the AHL; if you could get back a 3^rd rounder for doing them a favor; it’s an asset you didn't have before.