Toronto Maple Leafs: The Exhaustive List of NHL UFAs

Brandon Saad

Brandon Saad will be a desirable player in free agency. He is 28 years old coming off a $6 million AAV with the Colorado Avalanche. This past season he recorded 24 points in 44 games. He had 15 goals and 9 assists. The danger of signing Saad could be both the value and term he is asking for, pricing him out of a number of teams’ cap availability. Obviously he might be on the expensive side of things, but he’d make a very good Zach Hyman replacement on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brandon Dubinsky

Back in January, the Columbus Blue Jackets placed Brandon Dubinsky on long-term injured reserve. He missed all of last season and hasn’t played since the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 34-year-old would be a risky signing for any team even if his medical exams say that his wrist is back to 100-percent. Having had chronic issues with it, there is a possibility that the NHL may have seen the last of Dubinsky.

Martin Jones

The most recent addition to the list is 31-year-old goaltender, Martin Jones. He was bought out less than 24 hours before the opening of free agency. He was placed on unconditional waivers by the Sharks for the purpose of a buyout.

If Jones hadn’t been bought out, he would have been under contract until the completion of the 2023-24 season at an AAV of $5.75 million. Now a UFA, he is free to sign with any team and should make a decent backup. This past season Jones played in 34 games and had a goals-against-average of 3.28 and a 0.896 save percentage.

Matt Niskanen

Matt Niskanen is a 34-year-old right-shooting defenseman. He is coming off his only season with the Philadelphia Flyers where he was useful on both ends of the ice. Niskanen can help any team improve their powerplay. This past season, he played in 68 games where he registered 8 goals and 25 assists for a total of 33 goals. Niskanen will have his suitors looking for what he can offer on and off the ice.

Travis Zajac

Travis Zajac is a 36-year-old center. He just finished the season with a team other than the New Jersey Devils for the first time. Zajac was traded to the New York Islanders where he played 13 regular-season and 14 playoff games. He had a goal and an assist for the Islanders in both, which was definitely a disappointment for GM Lou Lamoriello.