Toronto Maple Leafs: The Exhaustive List of NHL UFAs
By Jeff Borsuk
James Neal
When James Neal was claimed in the 2017 Golden Knights expansion draft, he made the Predators regret leaving him unprotected. After one season and getting close to the Cup, he signed a five-year deal in Calgary and hasn’t left Alberta since. That’s because the Flames used him in a trade for Milan Lucic, sending the winger to the Oilers. The first year looked great for Edmonton but this past season Neal struggled to produce. That’s why Oilers general manager Ken Holland decided to buy Neal out of the remainder of his salary on Tuesday. He is now a UFA.
Dougie Hamilton
Speaking of suitors, Dougie Hamilton may have every team in the league speak to his representatives. The 28-year-old right-shooting defenseman will be in demand once free agency opens. Hamilton had an AAV of $5.75 million where he tallied 42 points in 55 games for the Carolina Hurricanes. That came on 10 goals and 32 assists.
Alexander Steen
Alexander Steen is another name from the Toronto Maple Leafs past. Just like Rask, Steen too was dealt away for far too little. His career took off once he left Toronto to join the St. Louis Blues. It’s where he’s been ever since. Steen is now 37 years old and contributed 17 points in 55 games. Steen can be a veteran leader in a locker room who can help a younger team understand what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. The Blues made Steen a healthy scratch in the playoffs, limiting him to play in just five games. This might just mean that Steen’s time in St. Louis is up.
Gabriel Landeskog
Gabriel Landeskog might be the prize of the free agency this year. He has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs though it will be difficult for the team to find the cap space for him unless they ship out a player with a significant cap hit. Landeskog would look excellent playing on one of Toronto’s top lines but the 28-year-old forward could probably earn a bigger paycheck playing elsewhere.
Nick Foligno
The Toronto Maple Leafs paid a steep price to the Blue Jackets for their captain, Nick Foligno. Columbus got Toronto’s 2021 first-round pick and their fourth-round choice in 2022. The Leafs would certainly love to keep Foligno and hope that he can stay healthy. It’s unclear at this time how much he would cost the team but the 33-year-old was paid $5.5 million last season.