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4 Players Toronto Maple Leafs Should Re-Sign This Offseason

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - MAY 20: Assistant coach Manny Malhotra of the Toronto Maple Leafs goes over a power play set-up prior to a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 20, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 20: Assistant coach Manny Malhotra of the Toronto Maple Leafs goes over a power play set-up prior to a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 20, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 23: Travis Dermott #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Travis Dermott

There are two logical reasons as to why the Toronto Maple Leafs should re-sign Dermott immediately.

The first reason is that Dermott is a legitimate NHL defenseman and can play bottom-pairing minutes effectively. He made a tough play during Game 6 that cost them the overtime goal, but besides that, he was solid.

Paired beside Zach Bogosian all year, the two of them had a good chemistry as the third pair of a very steady defensive core. Also, since he’s a pending Restricted Free Agent (RFA), the team should be able to get him on the cheap once again, and he probably won’t be making much more than the $875K that he made last year.

The other reason why the team should re-sign him quickly is to expose him in the Seattle Expansion Draft.

Toronto is going to have to expose someone, so Dermott would be the most logical person to do so, over someone like Justin Holl or Alex Kerfoot. It’s possible that Seattle would prefer Michael Hutchinson or another player of that caliber, who Toronto will expose, but Dermott is someone the Leafs can afford to give up.

With Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren ready for a full-time role, it wouldn’t be the end of the world to lose Dermott in the Expansion Draft, so it would be a smart decision to sign him, and expose him, or worst case, they get to keep him and he can be a valuable piece as a depth defenseman.

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