Toronto Maple Leafs: A List of Free Agent Targets For Each Position
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be entering the July 28th NHL free agency period looking for upgrades. They have one month to narrow down which players they plan on targeting.
Kyle Dubas and his staff need to fill holes on the left-wing, right-wing, goaltending, and defense. The largest area of concern is on the left side. Zach Hyman, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Foligno could all likely be gone.
The team still has Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Robertson, and Pierre Engvall that can play on the left side, but an upgrade at the position would be ideal.
Toronto management also needs to figure out who will be the backup goaltender for Jack Campbell. and sign Morgan Rielly to an extension.
Left Wing Targets For The Toronto Maple Leafs
Blake Coleman
If the Toronto Maple Leafs can not bring back Hyman, they could look at signing Blake Coleman. Toronto could sign him for about the same amount as Hyman.
It is projected that Coleman is looking for a multi-year deal with an AAV between $4 million – $5 million. I don’t think the Leafs want to go higher than $5 million with Hyman, so if Hyman signs elsewhere for more than $5 million, Coleman is their second-best option. (all stats hockey-reference.com).
This season, Coleman had 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points in 55 games. He is currently with the Tampa Bay Lighting playing for the Stanley Cup in the finals against the Montreal Canadiens.
Coleman projection: 5 Years – $4.5 million AAV
Mattias Janmark
Mattias Janmark is not likely to ever play on Toronto’s top line but could be a good fit on the team’s second or third line. He can average 16-17 minutes a game and give you 20-30 points.
This season, Janmark scored 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 56 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights. He also had eight points in 16 playoff games in Vegas’s recent playoff run to the semi-finals.
Janmark is a cheaper option as it is projected that he is seeking a new deal with an AAV worth $2 million – $3 million.
Janmark projection: 3 Years – $2.75 million AAV
Barclay Goodrow
If the Toronto Maple Leafs re-sign Hyman or find a suitable first-line replacement, Barclay Goodrow would still be a helpful addition. He is best suited for the third line and can give you 20-25 points a season while averaging 15 minutes a game.
The Leafs would benefit from his hard-hitting style and bulldog-like mentality. Goodrow had 20 points in 55 games this season for the Lightning while also dishing out 111 hits.
He currently only has two points in 13 playoff games as his team is about to battle for the Stanley Cup, but he has 44 hits in those 13 games and is playing his role perfectly. He is projected to be looking for $2 million – $3 million on a new deal.
Goodrow projection: 4 Years – $3 million AAV
Right Wing
When it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs right-wing position, the top two lines are already in good shape with Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. It is the third and fourth lines that need an upgrade. Here is a look at some players who can help Toronto in their bottom six.
Corey Perry
Corey Perry might be getting close to retirement, but the feisty 36 year-old proved this season that he can still play. Perry recorded 21 points in 49 games for the Canadiens this season on a cap friendly deal of $750,000.
After last season’s bargain hunting by Dubas, we know he’ll be looking for more bargains this off-season. Perry brings an edge to the team that will be missing if both Wayne Simmonds and Foligno are gone, but Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet is reporting that the Maple Leafs and Simmonds are working on a contract extension.
If Perry is willing to sign another cap friendly deal at the league minimum of $750,000, Dubas should sign him.
Perry projection: 1 Year – $750,000
Bobby Ryan
It is no surprise to anyone that Bobby Ryan is on the decline, but when he is heathy, he can still give you 15 minutes a game. It wasn’t that long ago (2018-19) that Ryan put up 42 points before alcohol addiction took over his life. The good news is that he got help and is sober with a new lease on life.
By signing Ryan, Dubas would be hoping it is a low cost/high reward type of deal. If the Toronto Maple Leafs sign Ryan for $1 million or less, and he scores 15 goals while recording 30 plus points, that’s a win.
Ryan projection: 2 Years – $900,000 AAV
Trevor Lewis
Trevor Lewis is mainly on this list due to the Toronto Maple Leafs showing interest in him last off-season. Lewis is a good fourth line player who will still get you 10 plus points a season while making the team harder to play against.
He is not afraid to hit as he recorded 71 hits this season, and he’s also not afraid to take a hit to make a play. He is a valuable player to have that can eat up 9-10 minutes a game. Lewis is another player in which Dubas could sign for league minimum at $750,000
Lewis projection: 1 Year – $750,000
Centre
With Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Alex Kerfoot, and Jason Spezza all being centreman, this is one position where not much tweaking needs to be done. However, if Kerfoot is traded before the expansion draft or is selected by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, his spot will need to be filled.
Now the team does also have Adam Brooks who played decently for them last season in 11 games, but it’s not clear if the team sees him as a full-time NHL player yet.
Here are a couple of players that Dubas could target to be his third or fourth line centreman.
Alexander Wennberg
The Toronto Maple Leafs could lose one Alex, and sign another. Alexander Wennberg would make a good third-line centreman for Toronto as he is still young at 26 years-old, and can log 16-18 minutes a game.
He could get you 25-35 points a season, and is a decent option, but likely too expensive for what he brings.
Wennberg projection: 4 Years – $3 million AAV
Ryan Getzlaf
The story with Ryan Getzlaf is a tricky one. It sounds like he wants to stay in Anaheim, but if they don’t plan on being a contender, will he decide to sign elsewhere? It also doesn’t sound like he is interested in signing at the league minimum.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs to have a chance at signing Getzlaf, I think they would need to try to sign Perry first. Would Getzlaf agree to a 1 year deal for $1 million or less if it meant chasing the Stanley Cup one more time with Perry? it’s possible, but we won’t know until July 28th at the earliest.
Getzlaf projection: 1 Year – $1 million
Defense
Due to salary cap issues, free agency, and the upcoming NHL expansion draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs could lose a few of their defensemen from the 2020-21 season.
Zach Bogosian is a unrestricted free agent who might sign somewhere else. Travis Dermott is a restricted free agent who might get traded so the team doesn’t lose him to the Kraken for nothing, while Justin Holl could be traded or selected by the Kraken in the expansion draft.
Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas could be very busy retooling his defense this summer. Here some possible defensemen for him to target,
Dougie Hamilton
Dougie Hamilton is the big fish in this year’s free agency period. Signing him will not be easy for Toronto. It is estimated that he is seeking $8 million – $9 million AAV on a multi-year deal.
If Toronto does end up trading Rielly, then I think they have a shot at signing Hamilton, otherwise I think he is out of their league due to the salary cap.
Hamilton will average 20-22 minutes a night, and score 40 plus points a season. He would give Toronto a real threat from the blueline on the power play. Something they never really had this season.
Hamilton will also record 80 plus blocks a season along with 80-90 hits as he’s not afraid to use his large 6’6 227 Lbs. frame.
Hamilton projection: 7 Years – $8.5 million AAV
Jamie Oleksiak
If the Toronto Maple Leafs are unable to land Hamilton, then Oleksiak is a great second choice. Oleksiak is a 6’7 and 255 lbs. bringer of pain, which Toronto would love to add to their defense.
Oleksiak is not nearly as offensively gifted as Hamilton, but he makes the team harder to play against. He had 88 blocked shots and 148 hits in 56 games this season while averaging 20 minutes a game.
Oleksiak projection: 4 Years – $4.5 million AAV
Alec Martinez
If Toronto does end up losing Holl to the Kraken or end up trading him, Alec Martinez would be a perfect replacement. The reason being that Martinez played with Jake Muzzin in Los Angeles with the Kings. A reunion of these two could be just what the Toronto Maple Leafs need.
Martinez scored 32 points this season and averaged just over 22 minutes a game. Toronto could use a defenseman who can play those kind of minutes. Especially if Rielly or Holl are gone, and moreso if both are gone.
Martinez projected: 3 Years – $4 million AAV
Goalie
Frederik Andersen has more than likely played his last game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Jack Campbell will be the team’s number one next season. If that is indeed the case, the Leafs will need to look for a new backup goaltender.
It would be preferred if the backup is an experienced veteran who can help calm Campbell’s nerves when things don’t go well. There will be many goaltenders like this to choose from, but here are the few that would work best in Toronto.
Jaroslav Halak
If Toronto signs Jaroslav Halak, they are getting a veteran goaltender who is used to playing as a backup. Halak has played 539 games over 15 seasons with a record of 281-173-62. Last season he went 9-6-4 in 19 games with the Boston Bruins, and recorded a .905 SV% and a 2.53 GAA.
Any backup for Toronto next season will likely need to play a minimum of 20 games, and that shouldn’t be a problem for Halak.
Halak projection: 1 Year – $2 million
Curtis McElhinney
Curtis McElhinney had a decent record during his first stint in Toronto a few years ago. He might be open to signing with the Leafs and returning for another chance to help Toronto win the Stanley Cup.
McElhinney is a veteran of 13 NHL seasons who has a record of 94-95-20 with a career .907 SV% and career 2.83 GAA. This season wasn’t his best, but he is still a proven veteran.
McElhinney projection: 1 Year – $900,000
David Rittich
If the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t find backup goaltending help elsewhere, they could try to bring back David Rittich who they acquired at the 2021 trade deadline. Rittich already knows the team and staff, but would benefit from having an entire training camp and pre season with the team.
dark. Next. 2021 Leafs Forward Grades
Sometimes when you’re searching for something, it is right there in front of you. That could be the case with Rittich and the Maple Leafs.
Rittch projection: 2 Years – $1.5 million AAV