5 Depth Free Agents the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Potentially Sign
The Toronto Maple Leafs, like most NHL teams, will look to augment their roster this summer through free-agency.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a handful of players set to become RFAs and UFAs, though at this point is unclear who will stay and go.
Looking forward to the off-season I thought it would be nice to find five potential free agents the Toronto Maple Leafs could sign as depth pieces.
Im not saying all of these five players are coming to Toronto, they are just options I think would either fit well in Toronto or it would be just fun to see them in a Maple Leafs jersey on a somewhat cheap contract.
5. Ryan Reaves – 33 years old – RW
Before everyone starts laughing or whatever you’re doing when you see Ryan Reaves on this list hear me out first.
This is one of the players I was talking about when I said I doubt it’ll ever happen but I would love to see them in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and would love to see them play on this Leafs team.
Do I want Ryan Reaves on the Toronto Maple Leafs? Of course I do, who doesn’t want the toughest guy in the league on their team… is it going to happen? Never in a million years.
I feel like Ryan Reaves doesn’t want to leave Vegas, after all its only his third year there on an expansion team, but Vegas has formed into one of the best teams in the NHL and Reaves’ role on that Vegas team is enormous.
He isn’t a guy that will score you 20+ points but he’ll get you 10-15 points and bring a very physical presence on the ice every time he’s out for a shift. (Stats from NHL.com)
He is currently making $2.775M on the last year of his two year deal. (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
If somehow, someway Ryan Reaves doesn’t re-sign with Vegas I would love to see him sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the price for Reaves to sign with the Leafs is uncertain in my opinion. Like I said he’s currently making $2.775M but there is no way the Toronto Maple Leafs would sign him close to that, so here is my projected contract if somehow Ryan Reaves becomes a Toronto Maple Leaf…
New contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs $1.5M x 2 years
4. Matt Martin – 30 years old – LW/RW
At my number four spot I have former Toronto Maple Leaf of two seasons, Matt Martin.
Now Matt Martin in my opinion is in a different situation compared to Ryan Reaves leaving his team and coming to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason.
Martin is familiar with Toronto already as he played in Toronto during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 season. He signed a four year deal with an AAV of $2.5M with the Leafs and ended up getting traded to the New York Islanders in the 2018 offseason to free up cap space to sign big fish John Tavares in free agency. Stats from CapFriendly.com)
Now just like Ryan Reaves I don’t think the Toronto Maple Leafs will sign Matt Martin to a new contract around the same amount of money that he is currently making.
Reaves and Martin both play a similar role, they wont put up 20+ points up on the board but they are a solid fourth liner who will put up 10-15 points and bring a very physical presence. I could see a fair and reasonable contract between both sides. (Stats from NHL.com)
New contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs $1M x 2 years
3. Trevor van Riemsdyk – 28 years old – D
At my number three spot I have current Carolina Hurricanes defensemen, Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Now he is the first defensemen on my list and unlike the two other forwards I named I don’t think it’ll be that cheap trying to sign van Riemsdyk.
Not too expensive to sign him but it certainly wont be less than $2M unless he’s willing to take a pay cut.
If the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t try and acquire a top pairing defensemen or a top 4D to play with Morgan Rielly, van Riemsdyk isn’t that bad of an option to sign in the offseason.
He wont cost as much as trading away assets to get a defensemen like a Josh Manson where it was rumoured for the past couple of years, or even trying to sign Alex Pietrangelo in free agency (a Toronto Maple Leafs fan dream).
Trevor who is 28 years old is currently on his last year of a two year $2.3M deal he signed with the Hurricanes, and I can totally see the Leafs trying to sign a guy like him to play on the right side If Barrie and Ceci end up walking in free agency, which they probably will. (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
New contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs $3M x 4 years
This contract isn’t too cheap for van Riemsdyk and it isn’t too expensive for the Toronto Maple Leafs either.
2. Radko Gudas – 29 years old – D
At my number two spot I have tough guy defensemen, Radko Gudas.
Boy did I want the Toronto Maple Leafs to try and acquire Gudas but it never happened and he ended up getting dealt to Washington in exchange for Matt Niskanen in the 2019 offseason.
Gudas, who like van Riemsdyk is another right handed defensemen, wouldn’t be a cheap option, but it also wouldn’t be an expensive option either if they would try and target one of the two defenders.
Gudas is currently on his last year of a four year contract with an AAV of $3.35M signed back with the Philadelphia Flyers. (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
New contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs $3.5M x 3 years
Gudas, unlike van Riemsdyk, has a couple 20 point seasons under his belt and is a much more physical player than van Riemsdyk.
I would love a Radko Gudas on this Leafs team if they don’t go out an acquire a more expensive defensemen. (Stats from NHL.com)
1. Joe Thornton – 40 years old – C
At my number one spot I have the man, the myth, the beard.
“Jumbo” Joe Thornton. There were rumours that Thornton could be getting dealt at the 2020 deadline and that numerous teams were potentially interested, and a lot of people were wanting the Toronto Maple Leafs to try and acquire him too.
I can honestly see Joe Thornton coming back to play another year in the NHL, either staying with the Sharks or signing a one year deal with a team where he believes he has a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Joe Thornton signed a one year deal to return to the Sharks for the 2019-20 season for $2M and over his career he has signed multiple contracts, and right now he is 40 years old so I don’t think he’ll make over $2M next season if he returns.
Thornton is one of the best passers in the league and can play on the Toronto Maple Leafs second power play unit easily.
New contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs $1M x 1 year
This contract is good for both sides in my opinion, Thornton gets at least $1M in potentially his last year in the league and the Toronto Maple Leafs get a great playmaker who has racked up over 1,000 career assists and another centre that can play on the power play for only $1M.
Next. Leafs Top 10 Prospects. dark
Again, this contract would only work if the Leafs don’t re-sign all their RFA’s and UFA’s. I would still love the Leafs to re-sign Jason Spezza though.