Top 5 Bargain Unrestricted Free Agents the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Sign

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 19: Ron Hainsey #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Maple Leafs defeat the Bruins 2-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 19: Ron Hainsey #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Maple Leafs defeat the Bruins 2-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 03: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights  . (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 03: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights  . (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

#4. Ryan Reaves

You may only know Reaves as a fighter, but he’s actually a very reliable fourth-line player.

With a 54.8 Corsi Rating over the last two seasons, Reaves is your modern-day tough guy. He can fight anyone else in the league, but can also contribute to the overall success of the team.

You’re not going to rely on Reaves to score every night, but you’re also not going to have to bench him late in the third period in a big game. He’s shown that he can be very steady, which is all you can ask for someone like this.

Although Reaves is a good player in his role, he’s still making way too much money. His current contract pays him $2.75 million, which about $1.25 million too much.

Reaves is a very similar player to Kyle Clifford, who currently makes $1.6 million per season, and you could argue that Clifford is actually more valuable offensively.

As a result, if the Leafs were able to strike a deal with Reaves and get him for closer to a million, he’d be a great replacement player for Clifford if they don’t re-sign him or a complimentary player to him as well.