#10. Dustin Byfuglien
Imagine a 6-foot-5, 260 pound right-handed defenseman who’s had multiple 20-goal seasons on the Leafs blue-line right now? Well, he’s an Unrestricted Free Agent and his name is Dustin Byfuglien.
The former Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman didn’t play last season which means one of two things: Either he’s out-of-shape or completely refreshed. Based on his past routine, I’d put my money on out of shape, but that doesn’t mean the Leafs shouldn’t take a crack at him.
It’s unsure if Byfuglien wants to return to hockey, but the Torotno Maple Leafs should be monitoring this situation closely. If ‘Big Buff’ wants to play one more season, he would be the perfect player in Toronto. With his size and ability to score and move the puck, he would change the whole landscape of the Leafs blue-line.
Like every player in the NHL, his contract is the biggest concern. Coming off a $7.6M cap-hit, there’s no way he’s going to get that same type of money in the open-market, but if he’s willing to take between $3-5M, the Leafs should jump on it. Byfuglien is a rare player with a very unique set of skills that is worth the risk, no matter what happens.