leafs don't need to trade, use your lines effectively! Stop playing polak alot

You were so close...
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner- Dermott
Borgman-Carrick

Everything else looks damn good.

I agree with DJSums17 about the defence, but I think you should change the forwards a bit too.

Marleau/Matthews/Marner
van Riemsdyk/Bozak/Nylander
Hyman/Kadri/Brown
Komarov/Moore/Martin

Agree with your opening statement. Leafs can't trade their way to better days, the players they got just got to be better.
The pairings and lines, often get mixed due to PP and PK, so I'm not as a fanatic as some. But I would like to see
Reilly/Hainsey. Gardiner/Polak. Borgman/Dermot. Carrick should play some, and when Zaitsev returns. Polak/Carrick sit.
Hyman/Matthews/Nylander,. Kapanen/Marleau/Marner. I think the speed of this line would work well. JVR/Kadri/Brown. Martin/Bozak/Leivo. Leafs have to establish offensive zone "time" which they had last year. Seems to most of this year.

I disagree with this sentiment if you want a chance at a cup.

2012-2013 Chicago winner = Handzus
2013-2014 LA winner = Gaborik
2014-2015 Chicago winner = Desjardins
2015-2016 Pittsburg winner = Hagelin + Schultz
2016-2017 Pittsburg winner = Streit + Hainsey + Corrado

If you want any chance you have to bring someone in even it's just for the psychological effect that comes with it.

Now I agree that you don't need to spend high assets, but you should do as the team I follow (Boston) did last year and spend a late pick on someone who hasn't played up to their level. We got Stafford for what I believe was a 6th rounder. Some kind of deal needs to be made to have a chance, but you don't necessarily have to go all-in.

?????? The Leafs have no chance at the Cup this year, or even likely next year. No trading for this year is going to solve it. Now the Leafs did trade for Boyle last year, maybe as you suggest a psychological effect (to make the playoffs. Think of all the other TDL trades that were absolutely no benefit to the "buyers."