The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a busy off-season reconfiguring their lineup. The team has 12 players who will be unrestricted free agents this off-season, and not all of them will be coming back.
From within, I would like to see Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas bring back Zach Hyman (for the right price), Jason Spezza, Alex Galchenyuk, and Zach Bogosian.
Each of these players brings something that benefits the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hyman is a bulldog when it comes to winning puck battles. Spezza has been a proven leader and can still produce offensively. Galchenyuk seemed to find his game again since joining the Leafs, and I think he enjoys playing here. Bogosian was a nice steady presence on the blue line and played well in the playoffs.
Now I would like to take a look at five possible free-agent signings from outside the organization the Leafs could make to bolster their lineup for the 2021-22 season.
Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agent Targets
Blake Coleman – C
Blake Coleman might only be 5’11, but at 200 pounds he is a solid guy. He likes to play with a physical edge and is good at winning puck battles. His offensive production is not as high as Hyman’s, but if he was given a role in Toronto’s top six, he could have better offensive stats.
Coleman can also be used on the penalty kill for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a good shot blocker and has also recorded 13 short-handed points in his career. Coleman’s stats this season were 14 goals, and 17 assists for 31 points in 55 games. He also recorded 20 blocked shots, 109 hits, 25 takeaways, and 19 giveaways.
Coleman made $1.8 million a season for the last three seasons. He will probably be looking for at least $2.5 million on his next deal. The likely contract will be a 5 year deal for an AAV of $3 million. If the Leafs are unable to re-sign Hyman, Coleman could end up being a slightly cheaper option.
Playoff experience is another reason to try and add Coleman. Last season he had 13 points in 25 games helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup. He also had 126 hits, and 12 blocked shots in those 25 games. He is willing to sacrifice, and pay the price to win.
Barclay Goodrow – RW
Barclay Goodrow is another player who is not afraid to hit and sacrifice his body to win. The 6’2, 215-pound winger uses his size to his advantage. He recorded 111 hits this season, and also had 27 blocked shots.
He is not as offensively gifted as Hyman or Coleman, so if the Toronto Maple Leafs did sign Goodrow, there is a good chance he would be best suited for the third line. He would be a good depth signing for Kyle Dubas.
Goodrow is coming off of a two-year deal with an AAV of $925,000. Toronto should be able to sign him for $1.5 million or less on a multi-year deal.
Jamie Oleksiak – LD
Jamie Oleksiak would be a huge addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs blueline. Oleksiak is a big man (6’7 – 255 Lbs.) who loves to throw his weight around and punish the opposition. This season the left shooting defenseman recorded 148 hits, and 88 blocked shots.
If the Leafs lose Travis Dermott or Justin Holl to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, Oleksiak could be a very helpful signing for Kyle Dubas to fill the vacant spot. The signing would be even more helpful for Toronto if Dubas decides not to re-sign Bogosian. Although a defense that has Jake Muzzin, Bogosian, and Oleksiak is a very threatening blueline for the opposition to go up against.
Oleksiak is coming off of a three-year deal with an AAV of $2,137,500. To sign Oleksiak, Toronto would need to pay close to, if not over $3 million.
Chris Driedger – G
Chris Driedger had a very good season with the Florida Panthers. He posted a record of 14-6-3 with three shutouts. He finished the season with a GAA of 2.07 and a .927 SV%.
A pairing of Driedger and Jack Campbell could be a good tandem for the Toronto Maple Leafs to use while prospects Joseph Woll, and Ian Scott continue to develop.
Driedger had an AAV of $850,000 this past season, so it should not be too hard to sign him for around $1.5 million on a two-year or three-year deal. If that sort of deal is done, the Leafs would have a good tandem for just over $3 million next season. (All cap info capfriendly.com).
Brandon Montour – RD
Just like Oleksiak, Brandon Montour could be a good addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs blueline if they lose one of Dermott or Holl. Montour will not get a ton of points, but he is a good defender who can log big minutes.
During the 2020-21 season, Montour recorded 18 points in 50 games while averaging over 20 minutes a game. This could make him a perfect replacement for the Leafs second pairing if Holl is selected by Seattle.
Montour who had an AVV of $3.85 million this season is more expensive than Oleksiak, but could still fit under the cap depending on what other moves Toronto makes. A new deal for Montour will probably need to be between $4.5 million to $5 million per season.