What JFJ should do!
First of all, dont count the Leafs out of the playoffs yet. They need to trim the fat. Ship players to playoff bound teams looking for depth. Move Allison, Berg, Belak, Khavanov, Klee, Czerkawski, all for draft picks before they go as free agents next season. Trade Antropov and Stajan to Chicago for Arnason and Bell. Bring up the youngsters on defence (they cant do any worse than the veterans). Sink or swim with this team until next season.
Bell – Sundin – O’neill
Steen – Lindros – Tucker
Arnason – Wellwood – Poni
Kilger – Wilm – Domi
Kaberle – McCabe
Colaiacovo – Harrison
Kronwall – Wozniewski
Belfour
Tellqvist
In the offseason grab some of the many available free agents. Someone to play with Mats like Elias or Selanne, and a 4th line centre. Calder may come fom the Hawks because of Bell and Arnason. Grab a top 4 defenceman, theres tons available-Jovanovski, Redden, Zidlicky to name a few (assuming these players dont sign). Theres a lot of goalies available-Luongo, Joseph, Gerber. Buy out Belfour and pick up one of the still available goalies.
The team could look like this
Elias – Sundin – O’neill
Steen – Lindros – Tucker
Arnason – Wellwood – Bell
Kilger – Calder – Poni
Wilm
Pohl
Earl
Kaberle – McCabe
Colaiacovo – Jovanovski
Harrison – Kronwall
Pilar
Wozniewski
Luongo
Tellqvist
Fire Quinn and bring Maurice up from the Farm.
Players like O’neill might benefit fom regular linemates. Sundin would be happy without Quinn(I dont think they see eye to eye) so he would play better and could finally enjoy a good linemate.
A rebuilt team with an average age of 27 or so, and a pile of draft picks for the future. If everything went to plan you’re looking at a contender now, and years to come.