Once the Leafs secured the top pick in the 2016 Draft and used it to select franchise centre Auston Matthews, the team’s rebuilding efforts were finally ready to move forward.

Leaf fans have endured years of futility, reaching the playoffs just once since 2004. The Leafs may still be on the outside looking in at the postseason this year, but they have a lot more talent on hand and, with a few breaks, could contend for a playoff spot this season.

Start with Matthews, the 19-year-old who scored 24 goals in 36 Swiss League games last season; he’s the future of the team, but it may not be long before he’s the present. William Nylander and Mitch Marner are two more high-end prospects and the Leafs have a raft full of other young forwards battling for jobs. Combine them with a few holdovers – James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak – and Toronto could have a competent group of forwards.

Ferraro: People will be surprised at the skill Toronto has

Ray Ferraro returns to the Gregor show, and he tells us why you will be surprised by the Toronto Maple Leafs level of skill.

There are still some questions on the blue line, where Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly are the best the Leafs have to offer. Newcomer Nikita Zaitsev could make an immediate impact, but the rest of the group involves either veterans who have been overworked (like Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick), or younger options trying to establish that they're NHL regulars - like Martin Marincin, Connor Carrick and Frank Corrado.

Toronto made a bold move to acquire goaltender Frederik Andersen from Anaheim, then signed him to a long-term extension. It could be a little risky, but the tandem of Andersen and Jhonas Enroth should provide adequate goaltending.

Last year's Leaf team was a decent possession team but lacked the talent to finish. If this year’s club delivers the same kind of possession numbers (50.5 per cent of score-adjusted shots at 5-on-5), and the young talent leads to better percentages on the offensive end, then there could be significant improvement this season. 
They’re likely not playoff-ready, but if the kids turn out to be really good, who knows?

Off-Season Headlines

May 2: Leafs sign KHL D Zaitsev to one-year deal 
June 20: Leafs land a new goaltender in Andersen 
June 24: Matthews goes first overall to Toronto at NHL Draft 

Three Key Leafs Questions

1. Is there enough veteran leadership to sustain their young forwards?
 
It’s strange times for a rebuilding hockey club when your 22-year-old top-line defender is already being asked about his ability to lead in the dressing room - because that’s what Morgan Rielly will be looked at to do. Four of Toronto's last five first-rounder will likely be starting for the team on opening night and players like Kadri and van Riemsdyk are still on that the line between being part of the the youth movement and being the veteran presence. There's a lot of excitement surrounding these players' abilities, but there will undoubtedly be turbulent times ahead - and who steps up to take control will be critical. Matt Hunwick and Roman Polak are qualified for that, as are Bozak and Brooks Laich. But some of the younger players, who are in that mid-range career level, will be tasked with setting a good example as well. How they handle the responsibility is paramount for the Leafs.

 
How quickly should the young core be expected to contribute at a high level?
 
There was speculation over the summer that Matthews might begin on the second or even first line right out of the gate. But head coach Mike Babcock reiterated to the media that the No. 1 pick would start the season centering the third line. As strong as he was at the World Cup, is it reasonable to expect Matthews to immediately be among the team's top forwards? No. Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are expected to be elite, but how fast they reach that level will determine when and if the Leafs become playoff regulars. Toronto is committed to protecting its young stars and putting them in positions to succeed; they will downplay expectations publicly and give players as much time as possible to grow. But after enduring last season’s pains, the desire for results from the outside has been ramped up. As Babcock said about Matthews, how long or short a time it takes for their potential future stars to move up the roster is up to them.

 
Is Frederik Andersen ready to be a full-time No. 1 goalie in Toronto?
 
Two years ago with the Anaheim Ducks, Andersen lost just one game en route to the Western Conference Final and was a game away from the Stanley Cup Final. And when the emergence of John Gibson made him expendable, Toronto snatched him up and extended him for five years, certain he's the answer to their goaltending dilemma. A 6-foot-4 netminder with a career .918 save percentage looks great on paper. But after many seasons of disappointing goaltending for the Leafs, the pressure is on the 27-year-old to to carry the load and carry it well. The Leafs will want to see at least 60 starts and - if fully recovered from his late-summer injury - performing at a high level immediately. 


2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs
 

TSN's Projected Lineup

  Lines and Pairings  
G LD RD
Frederik Andersen Matt Hunwick Morgan Rielly
Jhonas Enroth Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev
  Martin Marincin Roman Polak
  Frankie Corrado Connor Carrick
LW C RW
James van Riemsdyk Nazem Kadri Leo Komarov
Colin Greening Tyler Bozak Mitch Marner
Milan Michalek Auston Matthews William Nylander
Matt Martin Brooks Laich Zach Hyman
  Peter Holland  
ON SPEED DIAL    
C Byron Froese    
LW Nikita Soshnikov    
LW Kerby Rychel    
RW Connor Brown    
G Garret Sparks    

      

Button's Top 2016-17 Prospects 

1. Auston Matthews (18) – C (Zurich – Suisse 'A')
- Franchise centre who can do it all in every phase of the game. Still waters run deep and he's a big time competitor.
2. William Nylander (20) – LW/RW/C (Toronto – NHL, Toronto – AHL)
- Highly skilled, creative and an offensive threat. Ice in his veins. Shown he's very adaptable and versatile which is highly valuable.

Button's Top Long-Term Prospects 

1. Mitch Marner (19) – RW (London – OHL)
- Dominated junior and ready to challenge for full-time work in the NHL. High end skill with excellent elusiveness.
2. Andrew Nielsen (20) - D (Lethbridge – WHL)
- Progress has been significant. Smart player with good puck play. Moves well.
3. Andreas Johnson (22) – LW (Frolunda – NCAA)
- A scorer. He shows up in the right places at the right times. Good release.
4. Trevor Moore (21) – C/LW (Denver - NCAA)
- Very smart with good skill and versatility. Offensively productive.
5. Frederik Gauthier (21) – C (Toronto – AHL)
- Commands elements of the game with size and sense. Becoming quicker. Will never be a big offensive producer but will contribute.

 

Travis Yost's Analytic Storyline

Mike Babcock's commentary on the increment in talent on this year’s Maple Leafs roster shouldn’t go unnoticed. Last year’s team, structurally speaking, was quite sound – they out-shot their opposition more often than not (50.5 per cent Corsi at season end) and historically speaking, that's usually good enough to reach the playoffs. The rub: the Leafs shot an abysmal and league-low 6.4 per cent at 5-on-5, which means their attack zone time frequently ended with shots, not goals. If Babcock's right and this year’s roster does possess more skill (or more specifically, finishing talent), then there’s a very good chance this Leafs team will transition from also-ran to competitive club in 2016-2017.