The Toronto Maple Leafs’ decision at this point might not be whether to sell, but how much to sell.
As of Tuesday, they are 35 games into the season. They have a .500 points percentage, one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference, some of the league’s worst underlying numbers during 5-on-5 play, and holes all over the lineup. This is a bad team, and it needs to start accepting that.
The Maple Leafs’ offseason plan and how they handled Mitch Marner’s departure have gone sideways, and they look like a team in need of drastic changes. The head coach will probably be changed at some point, but the roster is an even bigger problem.
They shouldn’t trade Auston Matthews, but this isn’t a team that is worth adding to right now. They need a reset, not only to retool the roster a bit but also to help replenish their farm system and draft-pick capital, which have been depleted over the past few years.
The Maple Leafs are not a Stanley Cup team as constructed, so they should not try to chase a fantasy this season.