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3 Cheap Free Agents the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Sign

By Joseph Zita

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 05: Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild looks on during the game against the Calgary Flames at Xcel Energy Center on January 5, 2020 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Flames defeated the Wild 5-4 in a shootout. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 05: Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild looks on during the game against the Calgary Flames at Xcel Energy Center on January 5, 2020 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Flames defeated the Wild 5-4 in a shootout. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 28: Wayne Simmonds #17 of the Buffalo Sabres  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

The NHL off-season is creeping in and the Toronto Maple Leafs have some decisions to make, either through trades or through free agency.

With less than a week left until free agency opens up for the Toronto Maple Leafs  rumours are swirling around the league.

Though the Leafs and their fans may dream of adding Alex Pietrangelo, it is a longshot, at best. The Leafs are up against the cap and still have their own restricted free agents to sign. This means that they will no doubt be looking for bargains in the form of cheap free agents.

If the Leafs hope to succeed, they will again need to strike gold in the bargain bin of the UFA market, much like they did last year when they brought in Jason Spezza, who had an excellent season.

3. Wayne Simmonds – 32 years old – RW

2019-20 stats – 68 GP – 8 G – 17 A – 25 PTS 

Career stats – 909 GP – 251 G – 248 A – 499 PTS 

It’s possible everyone has probably heard what Simmonds said to Pierre LeBrun a couple of weeks ago about potentially being interested in playing in Toronto and by the sound of that interview he isn’t counting out playing here at all.

Simmonds, who is from the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) has had quite the NHL career, he isn’t your typical superstar that will fill the net with pucks and will top 70 points every season. However he has had a couple of great seasons and plays a style of hockey that is valuable to an NHL team. Throughout his career he has had two 30 goal seasons along with four 50 point seasons, and hitting the 60 point mark twice.

Although Simmonds production has taken a massive decline on the offensive and defensive side of things in recent years I don’t think it would be a terrible thing if he signs with Toronto for less than $1M AAV. He wouldn’t be coming to Toronto to score ta ton of goals anyways, but if he could chip in on the fourth line and play the style of hockey he is known to play that could definitely benefit him and obviously the Toronto Maple Leafs down the road. (Stats from NHL.com).

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