Toronto Maple Leafs: 5 Players to Replace Kyle Clifford

Kyle Clifford is going to test free agency, which means the Toronto Maple Leafs need a new fourth-line left-winger.

The Toronto Maple Leafs search for a fourth-line left-winger begins today after it was announced that Kyle Clifford will be testing free agency. But don’t be alarmed Leafs Land, this is very positive news for your favourite team.

If you glanced the Leafs salary cap last season, you would have very happy about Clifford’s contract when the team acquired him from Los Angeles. However, you may not have realized that the Kings retained 50 percent of that deal to help Toronto out.

$800K compared to $1.6M is a huge difference for a fourth-line player. If Clifford were to sign with the Leafs for less than $1M, the contract would be worth it. However, the fact that he’s going to want more than that makes bringing him back pointless. Not only that, but if the Leafs re-signed him, they would have to upgrade their original 3rd round pick to a 2nd round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

I know there’s many hockey analysts that believe the tough-guy in hockey is dead. Although, I would prefer top-skill over toughness, I do think you need a little bit of sand-paper to be successful. As a player, it really helps to know that you have protection on the bench and a big fight or hit can help change momentum when you’re struggling.

In a perfect world, that person who can change a game with a hit or a fight should also be able to score. The Tampa Bay Lightning have that player in Pat Maroon, while the Dallas Stars also have a leader who can score, fight and hit, in Jamie Benn.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a limited amount of money to spend, so I wouldn’t expect them to bring in a fourth-line winger who has much notoriety. Instead, expect a young player on an Entry Level Contract or a veteran on a minimum deal to replace Clifford. Because at the end of the day, this person isn’t going to make much a difference in the Leafs winning a Stanley Cup.

Here are five potential players to replace Kyle Clifford.

#5. Evan Rodrigues

After bouncing between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, Rodrigues was recently acquired in the Kasperi Kapanen trade. As a pending RFA, it’s quite possible that he walks, but by all accounts, it feels like Kyle Dubas wants to re-sign him.

Coming off a $2M contract, another deal like that would be too rich for the Leafs. Like every other player on this list, if he’s able to make $1M or less, that would be ideal for Toronto. Rodrigues has played 199 NHL games and is your typical depth forward, with similar qualities as Clifford.

Within those 199 games, he has 27 goals and 72 points, which isn’t amazing, but it’s good enough to be a fourth-line winger in the NHL. The one benefit that comes from bringing Rodrigues into the line-up is his defensive abilities. He’s above 50 percent in his career for Corsi percentage and Fenwick percentage, which is always positive.

By being positive in both categories, it means that his team is controlling the puck the majority of the time with him on the ice and they’re taking more shots than they’re allowing.

Similar to every player in the cap-world, it all comes down to money. If Rodrigues is willing to take $1M or less to play for his hometown team, then this would be a great depth signing.

#4. Mason Marchment

The 25-year-old was traded to the Florida Panthers for Denis Malgin earlier this year, but the Leafs should seriously consider bringing him back. He’s someone that Kyle Dubas watched very closely during his time with the Toronto Marlies, so since he already traded him, he might be finished with him forever, but he would be a perfect fourth-line player in Toronto.

Marchment would be an old rookie in the NHL, but he’s getting better every single season. He was on-pace for 44 goals with the Marlies before they shipped him out and can do everything you want in a fourth-line player. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he not only has the size but as we saw in his last AHL season, he has the goal-scoring ability.

He also understands how to win, as he was a main contributor during the Marlies 2018 Calder Cup championship. He may have only scored six goals in 20 playoff games, but two of those came in Game 7 of the Finals, including the game-winning goal.

I know he’d already played three full AHL seasons and is an older prospect, but the fact that they traded him for an undersized winger who didn’t play on the Leafs post-season roster blows my mind. Dubas should make up for his mistake and bring Marchment back immediately.

#3. Matt Martin

Besides maybe Patrick Marleau, there’s no other player the Leafs would love to have back in their dressing room than Matt Martin. Although he was a healthy-scratch for a number of games in his second season in Toronto, he would be a great fit on this current roster.

Everyone already knows the friendship that Martin and Mitch Marner have and that bond goes a long way in the dressing room. When you’re battling every single night, you need to love your teammates, and by all accounts, everyone loves Martin. He’s always been a great teammate and is someone you can count on to get in a fight and spark the team. Even during the Islanders current playoff run, he’s turned into a goal-scorer with five goals so far.

Getting Martin back to Toronto seems far-fetch though, unfortunately. Although he’s bound for a salary decrease from his current $2.5M annual salary, it’s hard to see that number fall to $1M or under, which is what would need to happen for Toronto to sign him.

Martin has played the majority of his career in New York and has played his best hockey there, so returning to Toronto may be out of the question. Regardless, the Leafs should definitely call him and see his price, because he would be a fun player to have back in Toronto next year.

#1. Nic Petan

Petan is such an interesting person to talk about. The 25-year-old has hit a crossroads in his career because he’s too good for the AHL, but not quite good enough for the NHL. So why would I put him at number-one on this list?

Well, it’s because of his salary. With a $775K cap-hit, Petan has great value. The fourth-line left-winger is not going to make or break the Leafs winning a Cup. As long as the fourth-line isn’t allowing a goal every time they step on the ice, they’re fine. If they can contribute offensively, even better, but it’s much more important to be defensively-sound.

In 77 AHL games with the Marlies, Petan has 83 points. If he’s able to contribute at half that rate in the NHL, the Leafs would be laughing. Although history has shown as that may not happen because he only has six goals in 129 NHL games, there’s still time. (Unless otherwise noted, stats from naturalstattrick.com).

In 21 career games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Petan has a 55.6 Corsi percentage and 54.4 Fenwick percentage. Both of those numbers are outstanding and as a fourth-line player is all you can ask for. With an opening at left-wing this season, Petan should cease this opportunity to become a full-time NHLer.