4 Free Agents Over the Age of 35 the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Target

The Toronto Maple Leafs have begun making necessary offseason roster moves. With free agency to begin following the Stanley Cup Final, there may still be some veterans available that they can afford to consider.

A team built around youth, the Toronto Maple Leafs were amongst the youngest of the 24 teams involved as of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. Obviously, that inexperience did not work to their advantage, with another quick postseason exit.

They faced a defensive-minded Columbus Blue Jackets team that simply shut them out from being able to create the quality necessary chances. Toronto was up against arguably the best goaltending performances through the qualifiers, as well.

It’s not as though Frederik Andersen didn’t do his job for the Maple Leafs, earning a 1.84 goals against average and .936 save percentage. He did more than should have been necessary to put his teammates in a position to succeed.

With that said, this is a young roster with years of quality peak performance time ahead of them. Fans need not be overly frantic just yet, as though all is lost with management’s current plan. It’s not.

Help Along the Way

This group, like many across the league, could always use added support to complement their maturation and development process. That doesn’t mean the whole lineup requires a shakeup, rather that some affordable tweaks could pay dividends.

Players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Jake Muzzin, and John Tavares just need to stay the course.

They may not have performed to required standards this postseason, but fans know what they’re capable of. Now they need to showcase it consistently.

As much as this franchise should still focus on youth leading their way, adding some additional veteran voices may not be a bad thing. It doesn’t have to change the whole recipe, but simply add a missing ingredient to bind it all together.

The Spezza Experiment

Jason Spezza was a welcomed addition to Toronto’s locker room through 2019-20, especially after committing to minimums in salary and duration. He wanted to keep playing and was prepared to prove he could be impactful.

As the oldest on the roster, the now 37-year-old Spezza quickly fulfilled a leadership role in Toronto. He put in the work and the results showed, seeing a resurgence in production for his best campaign in three seasons.

Toronto needs to make it a priority to re-sign Spezza. He’s earned the opportunity to extend his career and it’s a win-win for a Maple Leafs team that benefits from having him there.

Added Value Propositions

This leads us down the path of looking at some upcoming free agents who may be in a similar position. Athletes that may not be re-signed by their current team or acquired in any upcoming deals, who are willing to put in the work to prove their value.

Again, this is not about changing the makeup of what this roster has been crafted to be. The focus should still be youth, speed, creativity, and skill. Adding some missing pieces may simply help the puzzle become more complete.

In addition, Toronto is already up against their cap so they’ll need to find players willing to take on minimums in all regards to making sense of a deal.

These players are set to become unrestricted free agents. They will be 35 or older as of October 1. The Maple Leafs could find that targeting these stars, past their peak years, could benefit all involved.

Corey Perry (RW) – 35 Years Old

Corey Perry has always been the annoyance that teams hate to go up against. Yet, those players are typically most loved throughout their own lineup. Perry would provide a pest-like presence to the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, while adding the unique agility he’s proven over the years.

In over 1,000 games played, Perry has earned almost 800 points alongside his nearly 1,200 penalty minutes.

Ilya Kovalchuk (LW) – 37 Years Old

Ilya Kovalchuck’s return with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017-18 was a disaster. Fortunately, his play improved with the Montreal Canadiens and he was then acquired by the Washington Capitals. He can provide impactful depth and still produce.

As a former first overall pick, Kovalchuk has averaged a pace of 0.95 points per game through 926 contests.

Deryk Engelland (RD) – 38 Years Old

A right defenseman who plays with physicality, Deryk Engelland could add a much-needed level of stability to Toronto’s blue line. He shouldn’t be expected to score, but he’ll help clear the way so their stars have an easier path to do so.

Engelland has accumulated over 1,200 hits and more than1,000 blocks in his 11-year career.

Justin Williams (RW) – 38 Years Old

Known for his playoff performances, Justin Williams has still managed to accumulate 797 points through 1,264 games thus far in his 19-year career. He would bring an elevated level of passion, to illustrate what it means to truly play for the logo.

Of his 41 postseason goals, eight were game-winners. Williams has earned three Stanley Cups, including a Conn Smyth Trophy.

These potential options only make sense if they involve a limited cap hit and term duration. Providing a stage for these stars to perform encores for their career, the Toronto Maple Leafs could see a major return on investment with such gambles.

Stats courtesy of: Hockey-Reference.