It's up to Leafs' top players to take club to the next level

Finally, the end of the consternation, the hand-wringing, the flat-out worry in Leafs Nation is upon us.

After days — weeks — of wondering, we're going to learn Wednesday night which player the Maple Leafs lose to the Seattle Kraken in the National Hockey League's latest expansion draft.

Will it be forward Alex Kerfoot? The recently acquired Jared Mccann? Defenceman Travis Dermott, who at the age of 24 likely has his best hockey ahead of him? How about a dark horse such as Pierre Engvall or Adam Brooks?

In the end, will it really matter which Toronto player Kraken general manager Ron Francis deems as the best fit for his club?

We hearken back to what Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said on May 30, the day before the Leafs and Montreal Canadiens met in Game 7 in the opening round. Keefe was asked whether the Leafs needed their best players, also known as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, to be difference makers for the Leafs to win and advance.

“Yes, of course,” Keefe said. “Those guys need to be difference-makers for us.”

Keefe added that the rest of the club, including himself, would have to do its part as well.

We know what happened the following night — the Leafs lost 3-1, the lone Toronto goal coming from William Nylander with less than two minutes remaining and Montreal up 3-0. Matthews assisted, giving him a mediocre five points in the series. Marner didn't assist, and he finished the series with four assists.

Neither of the Leafs' handsomely paid stars were a difference in the elimination game, nor have they been in recent post-seasons.

Until that changes, until Matthews and Marner take it upon themselves to be the players Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas thought they were when he gave them massive contracts before anything substantial had been accomplished team-wise, the Leafs aren't going to stand much of a chance of winning a round or two, never mind four and the Stanley Cup.

If the Leafs get through the expansion draft having been able to keep their hands on Mccann, that will provide the team with some improvement, their first tangible step in that regard in the off-season.

Dubas will then turn his attention to trades and free agency as he tries to properly fill out his roster while hanging on to the pricey Big Four of Matthews, Marner, captain John Tavares and William Nylander.

Dubas, under the salary cap, has approximately Us$6.4-million at his disposal. That amount will grow once the Leafs lose a player to Seattle, and will come to just under $10 million if it's Kerfoot who is selected. With that cash, Dubas will be in the hunt for a goaltender, at least two forwards and a depth defenceman. In other words, guys who can play, but won't necessarily be the main cogs in a long playoff run.

For the Leafs to take the next biggest step, their best players have to be the difference-makers.