Toronto Maple Leafs: Thoughts On Qualifying Offers

The Toronto Maple Leafs list of qualifying offers has finally been pried from Lou Lamoriello’s hands.

Final #leafs qualifying offers, per sources

Yes: Holland, Leivo, Marincin, C. Carrick, Corrado, Sparks.

No: Percy, S. Carrick, C. Smith
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 28, 2016

Those are the six players that the Toronto Maple Leafs qualified, and the three who they did not. Here are some thoughts on each.

Peter Holland

Holland is not a valuable hockey player. It’s pretty simple. He’s a replaceable player who could have been replaced by a younger, and potentially better, fourth line player. At age 25 and nearly 200 NHL games played, it’s time to move on from Peter Holland – regardless of if you like the player or not. He was on my list of RFA purge victims but, unfortunately, will be occupying a roster spot that could have gone to a better player.

Josh Leivo

Leivo I can understand qualifying because his 12 game showing last year went very well. He was a good possession player who was, generally, better than his on-ice comrades when they were both apart. Essentially, he wasn’t being carried by anyone. I wouldn’t put too much weight into his five goals in those twelve games considering his very high shooting percentage will be tough (read: near impossible) to replicate. He earned another contract, but he’s still got an uphill battle in the realistic pecking order of the Toronto Maple Leafs youth.

Martin Marincin

Marincin is severely undervalued by a lot of people in Leafs Nation. He’s a very good defender at the 4-6 position. He was fairly sheltered in comparison to most of his teammates, but he was effective in his role. Marincin’s value doesn’t lie in offensive finish, but it does lie in useful possession and good general play. When Marincin is on the ice the Toronto Maple Leafs allowed 5.84 less shot attempts per 60 minutes at 5v5 – a number good enough for tops on the Leafs of those defenders with at least 39 games. He definitely deserved a qualifying offer, and likely the highest paying deal of the RFA’s.

Connor Carrick

Carrick had an average showing with the Toronto Maple Leafs this year. Where Carrick made bank on his qualifying offer was in the AHL playoffs with the Toronto Marlies, where he exploded on the scoresheet. He didn’t stand out at the NHL level, which is neither good, nor bad. It’s perfectly alright for a 22 year old pending RFA. Carrick is a player that deserved another contract and shouldn’t have been left free to walk by the Toronto Maple Leafs. There is more that needs to be seen of Connor Carrick at the NHL level. Good QO by Toronto.

Garret Sparks

Garret Sparks was a key cog in the Auston Matthews movement, and other than his NHL debut shutout there isn’t much good to reflect on from Sparks’ NHL stint. Sparks dominated the AHL this year and once he was called up his train derailed in a biblical fashion. Sparks might find himself back in the East Coast Hockey League this year tending goal for the Orlando Solar Bears. I doubt Kasimir Kaskisuo signed on with Toronto to play in the ECHL. That leaves Bibeau and Kaskisuo in the AHL and Andersen/Bernier with the Leafs. Add in the addition of Joseph Woll into the system he might not even be around Orlando for much longer. It wouldn’t have shocked anyone to see the Toronto Maple Leafs let Sparks go to free agency, but the Solar Bears need someone to play goal.

Stuart Percy

Percy, although beloved by some, did not show well when given the chance with the Toronto Maple Leafs and that pushed him far down a depth chart that was rapidly increasing in size. Percy was one of the few pieces of the previous regime (strike one), had a very poor nine game showing in 2014-2015 (strike two) and was one of the worst (if not the worst) defenders in Toronto during his three game stint this year (strike three). Percy was on my list of purge victims and shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that he’s going to free agency.

Sam Carrick

Sam Carrick’s are a dime a dozen, and this one didn’t stand out above any of the others. Carrick was a marginal fourth line player in the NHL. His offensive production in the NHL during the 2014-2015 season was comparable to David Clarkson (exiled), Casey Bailey (exiled) and David Booth (exiled). It was only a matter of time – meaning the length of his recent contract -til Carrick was let go. When grit, energy and fan love are all you provide to a hockey team, it’s time to move on to someone else. Carrick joined Percy and Holland on my purge victim list from two months ago. Good non-QO.

Next: Two Fourth Line Targets

Colin Smith

Smith came over to the Marlies near the end of the year, playing very well for the baby Buds, scoring 22 points in 23 games. He’s only got one NHL game to his resume (with Colorado) so there wasn’t much to go off of as far as his Toronto Maple Leafs history goes. It was kind of strange that they opted to keep a guy like Holland, who is proven replaceable at the NHL level, and not keep Smith who has potential to, at the very worst, be Hollands equal.