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5 Free Agents the Toronto Maple Leafs Should NOT Sign

By Stephen Nixon |
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 29: Tyler Motte #64 of the Vancouver Canucks battles against Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 29: Tyler Motte #64 of the Vancouver Canucks battles against Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 29: Tyler Motte #64 of the Vancouver Canucks battles against Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 29: Tyler Motte #64 of the Vancouver Canucks battles against Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be busy during free agency but there are a number of players they should avoid signing.

As the Toronto Maple Leafs get ready for a busy off-season, rumors have swirled around who will be joining or leaving the team next year. Whether it’s a big-name right-handed shot defenseman or a veteran on a league-minimum, the Leafs have a lot of decisions to make.

Upgrading your team is not as easy as it sounds. Everyone talks about acquiring an elite defenseman, but they don’t grow on trees. The Leafs can’t go out and sign anyone they want because in a salary-cap world, it’s not feasible. Unless the team moves money around, it’s going to be tough to accomplish.

Over the years in Leaf-Land, many fans (me included) have screamed at the team to acquire the big-name player. However, when it finally happened, there’s still many fans that think signing Tavares was a terrible mistake. Would the Leafs rather have Nazem Kadri at $4.5M or Tavares at $11M? Just think of the player(s) the team could have signed with an extra $6.5M in their bank account?

The captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs has scored 148 points in 145 games, which includes 73 goals so maybe the signing was worth it. Actually, not maybe. Definitely yes, the signing was worth it.  Kadri is good. John Tavares is on a different level, and was worth signing because its almost impossible to get players as good as he is.

As we get closer to Free Agency, more rumors will circulate on Twitter and I can’t wait. However, here are five players the Leafs should NOT sign this off-season.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 18: Trevor Daley #83 of the Detroit Red Wings skates away from a checking Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on October 18, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario. The Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 6-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 18: Trevor Daley #83 of the Detroit Red Wings skates away from a checking Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on October 18, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario. The Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 6-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

#5. Trevor Daley

When I was growing up watching OHL games, Trevor Daley was one of the most exceptional players I had ever seen. His skating ability as a defenseman to rush up the ice was Bobby-Orr like and that’s always stuck with me. However, that 20 years ago and he’s not the answer to the Leafs blue-line today.

I know the Leafs need defensive depth, so his name has been floating around. Although he shoots left, there’s people who think that he can be a serviceable depth defenseman on a good hockey team. I just think the time has passed for him.

Even assuming he signs a league minimum contract, the Leafs left-side of their defense is actually good. Jake Muzzin and Morgan Rielly are elite defenseman and then the third-pairing player who people chirp is only 20-years-old. Rasmus Sandin has only played 28 NHL games but for whatever reason, many fans assume he should be a Norris Trophy candidate by now.

The Leafs need to give Sandin a full season to develop in the NHL and get better. He already has 43 points in 65 career AHL games, which is amazing, so I’m not concerned about him at all. Back to Daley though.

Having him as your third-pairing defenseman could be fine, but when you have Sandin there, it’s best for the organization to play him and watch his development this year.

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 25: Jack Roslovic #28 of the Winnipeg Jets is checked by Radko Gudas #33 of the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 25, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 25: Jack Roslovic #28 of the Winnipeg Jets is checked by Radko Gudas #33 of the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 25, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

#4. Radko Gudas

I would like to start the petition to officially end any rumor of the Toronto Maple Leafs signing Radko Gudas. I just don’t understand it. What year is it and why does everyone on Leafs Twitter want the team to invest in a 30-year-old defenseman who is good at hitting?

If you look at the stats for top hitters in the NHL, they are filled with a bunch of 4th liners and bottom pairing defenseman, for the most part. Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk and Alex Ovechkin’s all cracked the top-20 but besides that, there’s a bunch of nobodies. That’s because hitting doesn’t win you hockey games.

You want to know a stat that helps show a players impact to their hockey team? Point Shares.

You know who finished 321nd in the NHL in point-shares this season? Radko Gudas. Based on Point Shares alone, Gudas would be good for the fifth best defenseman on the Leafs as Jake Muzzin, Morgan Rielly, Tyson Barrie and Justin Holl all finished with more than him.

Coming off a $3.35M cap-hit, for whatever reason his number is probably going to stay around that price and the Leafs shouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole at that dollar-amount. Please, Leafs management. Save your money and don’t sign Gudas.

TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 7: Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Anaheim Ducks in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 7: Kyle Clifford #73 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Anaheim Ducks in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

#3. Kyle Clifford

We all know that Clifford is going to test free agency, but that doesn’t technically mean the Leafs can’t sign him still. However, I’m hoping the team doesn’t in-fact sign him at the 11th hour.

Personally, I love Clifford as a person and as a player but the price will be too high for a fourth-liner who isn’t going to get more than 15 points per season. He brings toughness and grit, which the Leafs don’t particularly have, but that doesn’t matter. Unless he’s able to deliver a clean bone-crushing hit every night that changes the game, you don’t need him at that price.

The Leafs are pinching every penny as they head into Free Agency and understand that signing a fourth-line player to more than $1M is a mistake. Considering that Clifford made $1.6M last year, means that he’s going to be asking for something around there again. This is a price Toronto cannot afford.

Not only will his price be too high, but the team understands how important draft picks are. If Clifford resigned with the Leafs, the team would only get a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, instead of a second-round pick. The LA Kings are bound to be terrible again next year, so a pick between 32-38 could provide great value for the Leafs scouting department next off-season.

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – SEPTEMBER 21: Anton Khudobin #35 of the Dallas Stars makes the save against Pat Maroon #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Two of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on September 21, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA – SEPTEMBER 21: Anton Khudobin #35 of the Dallas Stars makes the save against Pat Maroon #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Two of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on September 21, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

#2. Anton Khudobin

The 2020 NHL Playoffs have been strange, but I’ve had a ton of enjoyment watching Anton Khudobin every night. He’s a huge reason why the Dallas Stars made the Stanley Cup Finals in the first place.

However, this is a dangerous signing. The 34-year-old has only played 242 career NHL games and has never started more than 41 games in an NHL season. After having such a strong post-season, you know someone will want to sign him for big money and the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t afford to fall into that trap.

His stats have been good as a 1A/1B combination alongside Ben Bishop, but it’s quite possible that he’s just found lightning in a bottle during this playoff-run. I know the Leafs have a lot of confidence in Jack Campbell as their back-up, but Freddie Andersen is a more reliable goaltender than Khudobin.

At his age, he’s going to want to sign a three or four year contract as well, which will end up terrible in about two years, so the Leafs should not look to Khudobin as their future goaltender.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 7: Alex Pietrangelo #27 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blues defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 7: Alex Pietrangelo #27 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blues defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

#1. Alex Pietrangelo

The golden-goose of Free Agency for 2020 is Alex Pietrangelo, and if you haven’t heard by now, he’s from the Toronto area, AND is a right-handed shot defenseman. It makes too much sense to sign him, right?

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see Pietrangelo paired beside Rielly for the next few seasons, but if the team signed him, that may very well mean, Rielly has to leave in two seasons. The salary cap is not going to rise soon, which would mean serious implications to the Leafs salary-cap if they signed him.

He’s a right-handed shot in the prime of his career and by all accounts, wants to play in Toronto. That opportunity doesn’t come up often, so wouldn’t you do everything in your power to acquire him? I want to say yes so badly, but I know it would ruin any chance of keeping Freddie Andersen, Andreas Johnsson, Alex Kerfoot and most likely Zach Hyman.

dark. Next. Hypothetical Trade: Andersen for Rask

I hate to be the guy to say that it makes no sense for the Leafs to sign Pietrangelo, but as much as this would be an amazing short-time fix, it would cause way too many long-term problems. Save your money and upgrade the defense in-house and with a few mid-tier players and see what happens.

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