Every Single Free-Agent Option for the Toronto Maple Leafs

3 of 11

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 04: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Gabriel Landeskog

28 years old. 20 goals, 52 points in 54 games. Cap hit: 5.57 million

Landeskog has to be included because he is a premier player in the NHL who can score, hit, play defense, win faceoffs and is still in the prime of his career. But he isn’t leaving Colorado and is going to get a boatload of money from them this year. With him, Makar and Grubauer needing new deals this year; however, Colorado might soon find themselves in a Toronto Maple Leafs Cap situation.

Jaden Schwartz

29 years old. 8 goals, 21 points in 40 games. Cap hit: 5.35 million

Like Saad, Schwartz has quietly put together a solid, under the radar career. A four-time 20-goal scorer, Schwartz has 154 goals and 385 points in 560 games. His career 56.7 CF% is partly inflated by his generous offensive-zone starts (61%) but that is still a pretty impressive figure and last year, with only 52% offensive-zone starts, he managed a CF% of nearly 52. He’s coming off a down statistical season so he may be able to come in under 5 million.

Other notable left wing free agents:

Nick Foligno– Things didn’t end well in Toronto and, at 33 years old, following a 20-point season, he is going to command significantly less than his 5.5 million cap hit. I see a fit on a short-term, 2 million or less style deal. Otherwise, Folig-NO.

Mike Hoffman– Forced to sign a one-year, 4 million deal with St. Louis last year, Hoffman put up 17 goals and 36 points in 52 games. Prior to last year, he never scored less than 22 and scored as many as 36 in a season. An interesting signing if the market goes cold for him again this year.

Brock McGinn– A former 2nd-rounder from Carolina, McGinn has been primarily used in a defensive role in his career (44% OZS) and has only averaged 13:38 of ice time. Still, McGinn has two double-digit goal seasons under his belt, can throw the body around and, at 27, still is entering his prime. A longer-term deal around his current cap hit (2.1 million) might be interesting.

Home/Analysis