TORONTO — Seven summers ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were the star of free agency, landing John Tavares in one of the most elaborate and competitive Canada Day bidding wars.

There was hope that day of championships, plural.

Sobered and scared by seven playoff exits too early, the Maple Leafs are now the ones in danger of losing the most valuable UFA for nothing, ushering general manager Brad Treliving into triage mode as he tries to not just keep the NHL’s longest playoff streak rolling but gather a cast that can take down the Panthers.

Tall order with Mitch Marner’s 102 points and stellar defensive game departing.

Taller order considering the dearth of prime-age all-stars hitting the open market.

“If Mitch is going, there is everything that he does, as well as trying to get better,” Treliving says. “We will look at all positions.”

Silver lining: The $12 million-plus that Toronto is not spending on Marner allows for creativity and depth in 2025-26’s roster construction.

There is money to spend, and that can be a double-edged sword.

Toronto’s blueline and goaltending don’t require immediate attention, so Treliving can focus his recruiting efforts up front.

The steep challenge here is to improve the roster while still in a contention window — Auston Matthews has three years left on his contract — but not overpay middling talent in a weak UFA class.

Treliving is hunting for dawgs.

“You need everything to be successful. You need skill; you need talent. But ultimately, it is that competitiveness,” Treliving says.

“We see it every spring and every playoff. We want to continue to build that.”

Salary cap space: $10.1 million
Roster size: 20/23

Salary committed to forwards: $52.8 million

Salary committed to defence: $25.7 million

Salary committed to goalies: $6.2 million

Salary committed to carryover bonuses: $626,230

Brad Marchand, LW / RW, 37, Florida Panthers, previous cap hit $6.75 million

Already locking up Sam Bennett, the Florida Panthers have made an offer to Leafs torturer-turned-target Marchand. But if the No. 1 choice on my Conn Smythe ballot wants maximum money, his best chance may be to join the franchise he has helped eliminate from five post-seasons.

With Marner gone, no winger checks more boxes — power play, penalty kill, scoring, leadership — than the wily veteran with the competitive edge.

Bennett calls Marchand “the biggest dawg I’ve ever played with,” and he’d immediately inject snarl into Toronto’s DNA.

He’s Treliving’s top choice, but Boston is also interested in bringing him back.

A onetime 35-goal, 55-point winger under Treliving in Calgary, Mangiapane is sliding under the radar after a healthy but not-so-productive campaign in Washington (14 goals, 28 points).

The bet would be that, surrounded by high-end linemates, the Toronto native could chip in more offence and become a middle-six lineup staple.

Brandon Tanev, LW / RW, 33, Seattle Kraken, previous cap hit $3.5 million

No team has ever complained that it has too much Tanev.

Leafs defenceman Chris’s younger brother has been a dressing-room favourite at all stops and understands his role as a fourth-line energy jolt.

Treliving’s fourth line is still a work in progress — curiously, Steven Lorentz remains unsigned — but Tanev makes sense only if he’s open to a pay cut. A lesser-known option could be Cole Koepke, 27, who has not re-signed in Boston.

Corey Perry, RW, 40, Edmonton Oilers, $1.15 million previous cap hit

Flash back to the 2020 off-season: Then–Leafs GM Kyle Dubas chose to sign the younger Wayne Simmonds over Perry to fill the gritty, net-front veteran position.

While Simmonds has retired, the 40-year-old Perry keeps making trips to the Stanley Cup Final and has no intentions of quitting.

It may be foolish to expect another 19 regular-season and 10 post-season goals from Perry, but the guy knows how to win. Another longtime Leafs villain who changes the makeup.

Other potential fits: Nick Bjugstad, Connor Brown, Mikael Granlund, Pius Suter, Nikolaj Ehlers, Cole Koepke, Mikey Eyssimont, Anthony Beauvillier, John Klingberg