Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 5 NHL Free Agency Signings for 2021
By Andrew Kogut
BRANDON SAAD- 5 years, $22.5 million (St. Louis)
Like Hoffman, Saad was one of the free agent left-wingers I was hoping the Toronto Maple Leafs would sign if Alex Kerfoot was ultimately chosen in the expansion draft. Unfortunately things didn’t turn out that way, and Saad signed with the Blues.
At $4.5 million per year over five years, the Blues made out very well here.
Saad turns 29 in late October and will be only 33 when this contract runs out. He sports a career CF% of 55.2 and a 43.4 PS and has never scored less than double-digits in goals in any season. In addition to being a consistent scorer and point producer, Saad has also suited up in 91 career playoff contests (scoring 25 goals), including tallying seven goals and eight points in 10 games this past post-season for Colorado.
St. Louis spent a fair chunk of change to extend (after acquiring him from New York) Pavel Buchnevich ($5.8 million per over four years), but he’s a big, talented winger who finally broke out this season and the top-six looks pretty good.
Saad is a nice replacement for the departing Hoffman.