Feels like there’s still a lot of doom and gloom around the Maple Leafs these days.



Their first-round exit was absolutely a disappointment, and any pessimism resulting from that is well-earned, especially as Boston continues to roll through the remaining competition. But what I think remains overblown is how much the contracts for the kids are going to hurt Toronto’s roster next season.



However, that’s what you often hear when you talk to people around the league about the Leafs.



“They missed their window,” I’ve had some executives say over the past few weeks, pointing to the William Nylander and Auston Matthews contracts, plus whatever is going to happen with Mitch Marner this summer.



“I don’t know what they’re going to do,” others say.



Now, it’s possible the Leafs get derailed here. Their salary-cap picture isn’t simple, to be sure. If they had incompetents in charge,...