Keep or Walk: Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agent Analysis

The Toronto Maple Leafs have most of their core locked into place for a long, long time.

Over the last two seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have given out multi-year deals to Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, Alexander Kerfoot, Justin Holl and Jake Muzzin.

Morgan Rielly, Freddie Anderson and Zach Hyman all have time left on team-friendly deals.

With 12 of the 20 regulars the Leafs need on a nightly basis locked in on multi year deals, they’ll have to be very careful how they fill out the rest of the lineup.

That means that they can’t just give raises and extensions to every player, even if they like them.

Here is the list of the Toronto Maple Leafs free agents this year (both restricted, and unrestricted) and a recommended course of action.

All contract info from capfriendly.com 

Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agents

Kyle Clifford:   Clifford is a player who can hit, fight, lead, and score a bit.  He’s an above-average fourth liner (or has been his whole career, at least) who would provide great value for a million or less.

But the Leafs should let him walk if he wants more.

Denis Malgin: Malgin performed well in a limited sample, despite not putting up any points.  If he can be re-signed for a million or less the Leafs should keep him too.  He could provide excellent depth, or even turn out to be a diamond in the rough.

Jason Spezza: He’s been great this year, and if he wants to come back on the same contract I say he should definitely be welcomed.

Frederick Gauthier:  You can’t sign everyone, and I think the Leafs have a lot of better options.  I don’t think he’d play in the playoffs if the team was fully healthy.

Cody Ceci:  He’s an above average third pairing right handed defender.  He is an above average penalty killer.  At a million bucks, he’s good value.  At anything higher, he has to hit the road.

I don’t foresee a player taking a 75% pay cut to stay on the same team, so I assume he’ll be gone.

Tyson Barrie:  He probably won’t get the contract he was hoping for, which might make him susceptible to a one year offer.  If the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t somehow sign Alex Pietrangelo, Barrie would be a good second option, at the right price, assuming he could fit.  Barrie and Rielly were excellent together and I’d like to see some more of that.

Travis Dermott:  Re-signing Dermott could be very beneficial if the Leafs could get him on a potentially team-friendly long-term deal.  He might also be excellent trade bait, as Toronto has a preponderance of left-handed defenseman.

What happens with Dermott will likely be the most interesting thing to watch about the Toronto Maple Leafs this off-season.