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3 Veteran UFA Defenseman Toronto Maple Leafs Should Sign

By Stephen Nixon

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 10: Zach Bogosian #22 and Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate a 4-2 win with goalie Frederik Andersen #31 over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on February 10, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 10: Zach Bogosian #22 and Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate a 4-2 win with goalie Frederik Andersen #31 over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on February 10, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 24: Jamie Oleksiak #2 of the Dallas Stars  (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Jamie Oleksiak

In my opinion, Jamie Oleksiak should be one of the Toronto Maple Leafs biggest targets in free agency this offseason. Coming off a $2.13M cap-hit, if he’s willing to accept a contract at $3M or less, Toronto should sign him.

There are a number of reasons why Oleksiak would make a great fit on Toronto’s blue-line. First and foremost, he’s from Toronto. As a result, the Leafs have a huge advantage over every other team in the NHL, at the fact, that he could finally play for his hometown team in front of friends and family.

Secondly, is his size. At 6-foot-7, 255 pounds, Oleksiak brings a size element that is so crucial to defensive success. As shown throughout the playoffs, Montreal was able to go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals because of their big defensive-group. Their top-defenseman were monsters and they were all difficult to play against.

Oleksiak would be a great piece on the penalty-kill and would fit in perfectly on the third-pair beside Rasmus Sandin or Travis Dermott

Although Sandin and Dermott are both left-handed shooting defenseman like Oleksiak, they’ve all played the right-side before and are comfortable doing so.

Based off his size alone, the Leafs should 100 percent target Oleksiak.

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