Toronto Maple Leafs: Every Pending UFA in the Western Pacific Division

No one yet knows whether the Toronto Maple Leafs season is over but we can look ahead to the offseason. Here are all the Western Pacific Division UFAs.

July 1 is not only Canada’s birthday but traditionally it also rings in the start of free agency in the National Hockey League.

While it’s unclear what will happen this year or the timing around any events, we can layout the certainties. Those being the new crop of Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) on which teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs can bid.

In this four-part series, you can already see the comprehensive list of each team’s pending UFAs. With the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division and Metropolitan Division already available to read, we dive into a look at the Pacific Division.

Anaheim Ducks

Patrick Eaves

There are four rostered players with the Anaheim Ducks who have expiring contracts. Patrick Eaves is the only forward in the group and he is currently on the injured reserve.

It was expected that Eaves would be out for the season after undergoing hip surgery and suffering through illness. He didn’t play at all this season and has only played nine games since 2017. Eaves will be turning 36 on May 1 and it’s realistic to believe that he will not be able to return to the NHL.

Michael Del Zotto

On Defense, the Ducks have two UFAs, Michael Del Zotto and Matt Irwin. Del Zotto is an interesting player. At this point in his career, he could be a bottom pairing defenseman if the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired him. What may make him attractive to Toronto is his history with John Tavares.

Tavares and Del Zotto played together in the OHL for two different teams. In fact, they were traded from the Oshawa Generals to the London Knights together in 2009. It was a giant deal at the time that included six players and six draft picks.

This season, at age 29, Del Zotto has played an average of 18:43 minutes of ice time. His puck possession in those minutes wasn’t great. Playing in all situations, he had a Corsi rating of 46.7. That’s -3.8 relative to his team.

Matt Irwin

Irwin, who is three years older than Del Zotto had even worse metrics this season without being given the same responsibility.

He had an average of 14:28 minutes on ice with a Corsi rating of 37.7 in all situations, which was -11.5 relative to his team.

The Ducks picked up Irwin and Nashville’s 2022 sixth-round draft pick at the trade deadline. In order to get them, the Ducks had to give up former Maple Leafs defenseman Korbinian Holzer.

Ryan Miller

The last player on Anaheim’s roster to hit the open market ahead of next season is Ryan Miller. The goaltender will make a decent backup for a team in need next year. This season he had a save percentage of 0.907 and a goals-against-average of 3.10.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs hadn’t made the highly graded trade for Jack Campbell they might have been interested in making Miller an offer. As it stands now, the Leafs shouldn’t be looking at the Ducks to make gains on their own roster.

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames will need to negotiate with several of their defensemen. Six of their ten blueliners have expiring contracts. Five of them will be unrestricted. The Flames will also have to figure out what to do about three other UFAs, two forwards and a goalie.

Cam Talbot

Cam Talbot is an excellent goaltender who appears to have become the backup to David Rittich in Calgary. Talbot has posted better numbers but Rittich is five years younger and has an extra year on his contract. This may mean that Talbot is set to seek out a starting role elsewhere in the NHL next season.

Though Talbot can return to the Flames as part of a strong goaltending tandem, he may have more interest in trying to get one last big payday and secure a starting role elsewhere. There could be one available for him somewhere in the league.

T.J. Brodie

T.J. Brodie is one of Calgary’s best defensemen.

He’s been a reliable player with the franchise for a decade. The Flames are the only team that Brodie has ever known in the NHL. He will have plenty of suitors if he chooses to seek employment elsewhere.

The Toronto Maple Leafs already tried to trade for him last year, but Kadri nixed the deal with his NTC.  Expect the Leafs to pursue him if he reaches the open market.

Travis Hamonic

Brodie’s been paired with Travis Hamonic. Brodie plays on the left side and Hamonic the right. Like Brodie, Hamonic will be a UFA at season’s end. Together, the pairing earned $8,507,543 for the 2019-20 season. Brodie got $4,650,400 and Hamonic $3,857,143.

Eric Gustafsson

Eric Gustafsson was traded to the Flames from the Chicago Blackhawks on trade deadline day. In return, the Hawks got a third-round pick in 2020 Draft. Gustafsson is a puck-moving d-man who’s been better than half a point per game in his career. As a fifth defender, it’s a welcome production. When he hits free agency Gustafsson will be looked upon as a cheap option to add defensive depth for an NHL club.

Derek Forbort and Michael Stone

Derek Forbort and Michael Stone are two blueliners who split time between the flames and the AHL this season. Forbort has been limited by injuries and joined the Ontario Reign for a conditioning stint before getting recalled by the Flames. Forbort, like Gustafsson, was acquired by Calgary on trade deadline day.

Forbort, who is a stay at home defenseman, never fully got going after managing to only play five games with the Reign and another seven with the Flames. Forbort would be a fine addition to the Maple Leafs to play on a bottom pairing. Stone, however, would be a downgrade from all the defensemen Toronto already has.

Zac Rinaldo

The same can be said for the soon to be UFA left-winger Zac Rinaldo. He has bounced back and forth between NHL clubs and the minors. After playing 14 games for the Stockton Heat, Rinaldo saw action in 19 games for the Flames. He picked up five points in that time.

Tobias Rieder

Tobias Rieder is another pending UFA. He’s on his fourth team in three years and still trying to figure everything out. Earning league minimum, it’s not a very risky move if a team decides to offer Rieder a two-way contract next season.

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers appeared to finally have momentum on their side this season. When COVID-19 shut down the NHL, the Oil were second in their division and fourth in the conference. While potentially missing their opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup, they could also lose several players to free agency this offseason.

Gaëtan Haas

Gaëtan Haas could be the first player the Oilers let walk. After playing ten seasons for Biel HC in Switzerland, Haas moved to North America at the start of the season.

He played two games for the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL and then 58 for the Oilers. He wasn’t able to secure consistent minutes in the NHL and could very likely go back to the Swiss League next season.

Riley Sheahan

Edmonton’s third-line center Riley Sheahan hasn’t been spectacular this year. In just under 13 minutes a night of ice time, he managed to pop in 15 points on eight goals and seven assists through 66 games. Being paid just $900k this year, it’s possible that he returns to Edmonton at another cheap price point.

Tyler Ennis and Patrick Russell

Tyler Ennis and Patrick Russell are two more players with small tickets. Ennis is making $800k and Russell, $700k. After a great season from Ennis, he should be looking at a raise.

The former Toronto Maple Leafs center and left-winger did well in Ottawa, recording 14 goals and 19 assists in 61 games. He was then traded to the Oilers where in nine games he scored two goals and two assists.

For Russell, this season marked his first full time jump into the majors. He had previously spent three seasons playing for the Condors.

After suiting up for six games last year, he managed to play 45 of them his season. Wherever he lands next year, it will be to add depth to their roster on what will likely be a two-way contract.

Mike Green

Ennis wasn’t the only pending UFA that the Oilers traded for this season. They also acquired Mike Green from the Red Wings, giving back Kyle Brodziak and a conditional fourth-round 2020 draft pick to get him.

Green isn’t the offensive juggernaut he was when he played for the Washington Capitals. He can no longer quarterback a powerplay and he isn’t surprising teams anymore by jumping up into the rush. Green is now a bottom pairing defenseman who struggles to boost his offensive numbers.

Mike Smith

A decision will also need to be made for goaltender Mike Smith. When the offseason hits and he becomes a free agent, the 38-year-old will need to decide whether it’s time to hang up the pads or chase another one-year deal. He was paid $3.75 million this season in Edmonton and had decent numbers as the club’s backup. It would not be surprising to see Smith remain in the NHL for another campaign.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are in the midst of a rebuild. Unlike the Toronto Maple Leafs, they have cupboards full of picks for the next two drafts. They may also be willing to part ways with most of their UFAs. The Kings have a few.

Trevor Lewis

Trevor Lewis is a lifer with the Kings. He was drafted by them in the first round, 17th overall, in 2006 and has been with them since. In those 12 years, Lewis has played all three forward positions.

Lewis injects energy into the lineup and as a two-way forward he is often used to kill penalties and blocks shots. Lewis may have only tallied 12 points in 56 games this season but his value has never been as a scorer.

Ben Hutton

On the blueline, Ben Hutton is coming off a very strong season as Drew Doughty’s partner. Playing with Doughty helped Hutton improve defending his own zone. Hutton bet on himself prior to the season and signed a one year deal with LA worth $1.5 million.

It was a good gamble as he is likely to score a longer-term higher-priced deal in the offseason.

Joakim Ryan

Joakim Ryan is a late bloomer. He spent four years at Cornell University and then transitioned into playing three years in the AHL. In that third season, he finally got the callup to join the team that drafted him in the seventh round of the 2012 draft, the San Jose Sharks. Ryan has looked incrementally better since then and been trusted with tougher assignments.

Ryan was paid $725k for the season. Turning 27 years old in June, the defenseman will be looking to try and lock in a longer-term deal prior to next season.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks had a very disappointing season. They began as hopeful contenders for the Stanley Cup but by the time trade deadline came, general manager Doug Wilson had turned the Sharks into sellers. Now they will have six players who are set to become UFAs.

Joe Thornton

The biggest decision Wilson had at the deadline was where he’d move Jumbo Joe Thornton.

There were rumours that Thornton would be sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs but when the trade deadline passed it didn’t happen. In fact, Thornton didn’t get moved at all, much to his disappointment.

After contemplating retirement last year, he decided to sign a one year $2 million deal to remain with the Sharks and take one last shot at winning the Stanley Cup.

Thornton hasn’t made his future plans known but when he officially becomes a UFA, he might choose to hang up his skates.

That being said, there’s also the possibility that Thornton tries to finish what he’s started and joins whichever team he feels will give him the best opportunity to capture hockey’s biggest prize. While not fleet of foot, Thornton does still have enough left in the tank for one more campaign. The decision will be his.

Melker Karlsson

Melker Karlsson is another long-serving member of the Sharks. He has spent six years with the organization, making it the only NHL club he’s ever played with. Going undrafted, he earned his way onto the team by playing in Sweden and proving his worth.

Having earned $2 million each of his last three years, Karlsson should try to re-sign with San Jose at a similar price point.

For the Sharks, it’s not necessarily in their best interest to bring the six-foot center back. Since he didn’t produce as desired over the term of his deal, they would most likely prefer to fill his slot with a younger player.

Antti Suomela

Another six-foot center about to become an unrestricted free agent is Antti Suomela. He split time this year between the minors and the Sharks. Getting paid the league minimum he could very well sign a two-way contract and remain a depth piece for the organization.

Aaron Dell

The Sharks’ backup goalie Aaron Dell is also about to become a UFA. He had a record of 12-15-3 with a save percentage of 0.907 and a goals-against-average of 3.01. At 30 years old, Dell would be a fine candidate to return on a one year deal for the Sharks.

Tim Heed and Brandon Davidson

Tim Heed and Brandon Davidson are the two defensemen the Sharks have that will be UFAs. Neither player had a large role with the team this season. Heed played an average of 13 minutes of ice time per game for the Sharks through 28 games this season. His possession numbers were decent enough to get Heed another NHL contract with a bump in pay.

Davidson played just 12 NHL games between two clubs along with 34 games with the Stockton Heat in the AHL. Though he looked good in the minors, he wasn’t as impressive in the majors. Davidson may struggle to secure another NHL contract next season.

Vancouver Canucks

Tyler Toffoli

The Vancouver Canucks took a big swing at improving their roster for the playoffs at the trade deadline by picking up Tyler Toffoli. In retrospect, they gave up a big haul for Toffoli and may never get to have him perform for the franchise in the postseason.

Toffoli is set to become a free agent and he will be a desirable one. General manager Jim Benning will likely try to re-sign the forward so that it helps justify the team’s spending to get him. While Toffoli would look good in Leafs blue, his ticket will probably too rich for the Buds.

Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg

On the blueline, the Canucks need to consider what to do with Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg. Both men are stay-at-home-defensemen who often get deployed to start in their own zone. Tanev is the better player of the pair and even acts as one of the Canucks’ assistant captains. As such, there is a better chance to see Tanev return to Vancouver next season and beyond.

Fantenberg will be looking for a cheap contract with a team next season though he may spend a portion of it watching games from the pressbox.

Louis Domingue

The Canucks are likely to lose their backup goalie. Louis Domingue managed to only get between the pipes for one game after being traded from the New Jersey Devils for Zane McIntyre.

For the season, Domingue holds a record of 3-9-2 with a save percentage of 0.882 and a goals-against-average of 3.81. After playing as poorly as he did, Domingue might be looking at signing a PTO for a franchise and try to get a job out of training camp.

Jacob Markström

The Canucks also have goaltender Jacob Markström coming off the books at season’s end. He underwent a minor procedure on his injured knee that held him out of action since late February.

Markström will have plenty of suitors for his services and would even be a desirable player for the Toronto Maple Leafs if not for Frederik Andersen still having a year remaining on his contract.

Josh Leivo

A player that the Leafs might be interested in trying to sign is already familiar with Toronto. Josh Leivo was an excellent hand on the farm for the Toronto Marlies. He never quite got a fair shake with the Toronto Maple Leafs but perhaps with his added experience, both parties may be willing to reunite once more.

Vegas Golden Knights

Tomas Nosek, Ryan Reaves, and Deryk Engelland are all set to become UFAs. They’re also not the only ones on the Golden Knights roster about to hit the open market. The same is true for Jon Merrill and backup goaltender Robin Lehner.

It would be highly improbably to believe that the Knights will re-sign all these free agents but based on the team’s surprising team success, it wouldn’t be surprising if GM Kelly McCrimmon tried to make that happen.

Ryan Reaves

The highest-paid of the Knights’ UFAs is Ryan Reaves. He was earning $2.775 million in the final year of his two-year deal. He patrols the ice for the Knights as their tough guy, adding physicality to the team in a big way.

Reaves played all 71 games this season and spent his time on ice punishing opponents. He threw 316 hits, the most he’s ever laid in a single season. There’s no doubt that the Golden Knights will be looking to return that grit to their lineup.

Tomas Nosek

When Nosek scored his third-period goal to help the Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, he probably didn’t think about the fact that he and the first two players to hug and celebrate with him would all become unrestricted free agents together. Then again, maybe he did.

Nosek, has been with Vegas since its inaugural season. About to complete his contract, the Czechoslovakian center averaged 11:36 minutes of ice time this season, which is oddly the same time average for his career. Going into next season, Nosek will be looking to fill a job at the bottom of an NHL roster.

Deryk Engelland

Engelland joined Vegas when he was selected from the Flames in NHL Expansion Draft. The move was a good one for the Golden Knights. Engelland has played in 202 games in the Golden Knights blueline. He scored 8 goals and 33 assists for 41 points in that time.

Recently, Engelland sat out of multiple games as a healthy scratch. It’s about the last position that the defenseman would have wanted ahead of negotiating a new contract.

Robin Lehner

Even Robin Lehner has been a nice addition for Vegas. They traded for the tender on trade deadline day, giving up a package of Malcolm Subban, Stanislav Demin and their second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft to get him.

Lehner took the net in three games for the Knights and not just won them all but only gave up a total of five goals. If Vegas can work something out with the goalie, they’d surely love to try and keep the band together.

Jon Merrill

Merrill, Nosek, and Reaves are all pending UFAs and happen to all play together on Vegas’s fourth line. If McCrimmon wants he can let all three walk away from the organization and replace the entire line.

Merrill is another one of hockey’s utility players. Despite playing as a left-winger, he’s actually a natural defenseman. It will be interesting to see in what capacity he gets signed in the offseason. Will he join a franchise as a forward or defenseman?

Now 28 years old, Merrill has played a total of 356 games. He’s recorded 12 goals and 49 assists while playing an average of 18:24 minutes of ice time.

Don’t forget to check back in tomorrow where every UFA in the Western Conference’s Central Division will be broken down.