5 UFA’s the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Still Pursue
I know the Toronto Maple Leafs are up against the salary cap, but you can never have too much depth.
The NHL season is supposed to be a month away, but there are still a ton of unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) the Toronto Maple Leafs could go after. Obviously, salary cap will effect what they can offer, but with the taxi-squad idea being a real possibility, the team may be able to make it work.
When you look at the Leafs roster, do they really need to acquire more talent? Their top-six forwards are arguably the best in the NHL, while their bottom-six is filled with veteran excellence. Even their defense was upgraded over the off-season and Freddie Andersen isn’t going anywhere, yet.
The simple answer would be, no.
However, that wouldn’t make for a fun read, would it?
The Toronto Maple Leafs can always improve and even though incoming salaries could be an issue, you need as much depth as possible for the 2020-21 season. The pandemic is still alive, so players are going to contract Covid-19 and then regular injuries are going to happen. Just look at the team last year. Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Andreas Johnsson and Ilya Mikheyev all missed significant time due to injury.
It’s something we hope doesn’t happen, but ends up happening every season. In 56-game sprint, one significant injury could be the difference between making or missing the playoffs. In an 82-game season, you have the luxury of star-player missing 10 games, but in this upcoming campaign, that would be almost 20 percent of the entire year missed.
Although you may think the team doesn’t need more depth, you can never have too much. Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza came to Toronto to win a Stanley Cup and if it means they rotate in and out of the line-up, I’m sure they’d be fine with that. They just want to be apart of the ride that gets them closer to lifting Lord Stanley.
So let’s take a look at five UFA’s that are still available for the Toronto Maple Leafs to pursue.
#5. Frederik Gauthier (2019-20 Salary: $700K)
I’ve talked about Freddie “The Goat” in the past, asking myself if the Leafs could actually bring him back? Many people thought this could be a good depth piece, while others said it’s time to move on.
I’m in the camp that thinks he still has something to prove and can be a good piece within the organization. After seven years, we know who this player is and know he’s probably not going to change. However, he can still be a fourth-line player in the NHL. Maybe not on the Leafs every night, but he can work his way towards that.
Within this pandemic world, teams are trying to spend less, so a player like Gauthier may not be able to find his NHL dream this season. For the meantime, “The Goat” should return to a place he’s familiar with and sign a two-way NHL minimum salary with the Leafs.
It’s all about depth and there’s nothing wrong with having another centre you can trust. If an injury occurs or a player has to quarantine due to Covid-19, Gauthier can step in and fill that void. He’s not someone you’d sign to play every night, but could an effective taxi-squad player and jump into the lineup when called upon.
#4. Trevor Lewis (2019-20 Salary: $2M)
Anytime you can look to add a two-time Stanley Cup champion, you do it. Lewis was on both Stanley Cup winning teams with the LA Kings and is a former teammate of Jake Muzzin. Some people think that Stanley Cup experience is overrated, but I don’t. Any time you can add another player in the lineup that’s been through war is a big deal and Lewis could be that addition.
The 33-year-old centre’s production has faltered over the past two seasons, but that’s not the reason why you’d be acquiring this player. In an article by LA Kings Insider, they detailed the reason why you’d want him on your team:
“A player you can set a watch to, Trevor Lewis’ consistency, detail, coachability, regimen and approach sets a model for younger players to follow. He’s a valuable, catalyzing veteran member of the team’s leadership core that, after the departure of a high number of character veterans, has naturally evolved to maintain his important and versatile role into one that carries a modest but needed bounty of secondary production.”
I know the team addressed it’s veteran leadership by adding Joe Thornton, Zach Bogosian and Wayne Simmonds, but it sounds like Lewis could be another leader in the room. Also, did I mention he has two Stanley Cup rings? Oh yeah, I did.
On a minimum salary, Lewis could compete for the fourth-line centre or be a player that rotates in and out of the lineup. Even if he’s not playing every night, he would be a great addition.
#3. Drake Caggiula (2019-20 Salary: $1.5M)
Caggiula is a 26-year-old centre, who you probably don’t know much about. The Pickering, ON native went undrafted but has played 222 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers.
He’s undersized (5-foot-10, 175 pounds), but his talent is there. In an 82-game season, he’s averaging 15 goals per game, but it’s not just his goal-scoring ability that catches your eye. Even at his size, he’s a feisty and gritty player. What I mean by that is that he’s not afraid to hit anyone and everyone.
Despite playing only 40 games last season due to injury, Caggiula finished sixth on the team in hits and third among forwards. His skill level allows him to play in the top-six and contribute offensively, but his work-ethic and ability to hit makes him a valuable bottom-six player as well.
That type of player is incredibly efficient and would be perfect in the Leafs lineup. Toronto has so much skill that they need someone who can play on the wing of Auston Matthews or John Tavares’ line, but could also use the type of player that crashes and bangs beside Wayne Simmonds on the fourth-line.
He’s also a local-kid, so he may be willing to take a hometown discount to join Toronto.
#2. Michael Del Zotto (2019-20 Salary: $750K)
Del Zotto would be a great addition on the Toronto Maple Leafs blue-line. The 30-year-old defenseman scored 15 points in 49 games last year and still has a lot left in the tank.
Born in Stouffville, ON, Del Zotto is a local player who just wants to play hockey. He’d also sign for the league minimum, so it wouldn’t be costing the Leafs a ton of money to get him. In terms of a depth option, I can’t think of anyone better for this price.
He may not have played during the St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup run, but he was apart of the ride. He was in the dressing room every night, experiencing the highs and lows of spring hockey and saw what it took to win. By all accounts, he’s a great person in the room and someone players love to be around, as well.
What was the Leafs biggest weakness last year? Defense. Sure, they addressed it in the off-season, but you can never have too many options. If Del Zotto is open to being a fringe player, most likely on the taxi-squad for the season and only playing when someone’s hurt, then he’s a perfect addition.
He could surprise us and end up in the top-six, but even if he’s not, he’d be a good leader and example in the room. The Leafs currently have eight NHL defenseman on the roster, but they could use 10 for extra depth and insurance in case of injury. Del Zotto could be that extra defenseman.
#1. Corey Perry (2019-20 Salary: $1.5M)
Perry was a beast in the playoffs last year and I’m shocked that nobody has signed him yet. With over $85M in career salary, Perry doesn’t need anymore cash, so he may be interested in a league minimum salary with a contending team.
What better team than to return home and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who he idolized growing up?
It’s no secret that Perry wanted to become a member of the Leafs a few seasons ago. Back in 2013, he contemplated signing with Toronto, but instead chose to stay with the Anaheim Ducks; the team that drafted him:
“It would’ve been nice to go home and play in front of family and friends every night, but on the other side of things, you have to think about your life and how you want to live it.” (Via: Sportsnet.ca)
Perry made the right decision to play with Anaheim, as their team had numerous chances at winning another Stanley Cup, while Toronto went through a rebuild. However, it’s different now. After seeing Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton return home on the back-nine of their career, maybe he’d want another crack at Cup near his friends and family?
The right-side of the Toronto Maple Leafs line-up is already pretty strong, but one more veteran could never hurt. As I’ve mentioned numerous times, you need depth and players who will do anything to win. As shown in the playoffs last year, Perry is that guy.