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What’s Next for the Toronto Maple Leafs After Another Early Exit?

By Jeremy Ridgewell

TORONTO, ON - MAY 10 : Jack Campbell #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 10, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 10 : Jack Campbell #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to action against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 10, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty images) /
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(Photo by Claus andersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Claus andersen/Getty Images) /

Toronto Maple Leafs Own Unrestricted Free Agents

Jack Campbell

Goaltender Jack Campbell has to be the biggest UFA that Toronto has this off-season. Since joining the Maple Leafs, Campbell has a record of 51-14-9 with a .916 SV% and a 2.50 GAA. Dubas has to decide if Campbell is the right goaltender for this team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost two years in a row in Game 7 with Campbell in the net. In both series, Toronto had a 3-2 series lead after Game 5 and failed to close it out. Just like the rest of the team, Campbell is great during the regular season but has been unable to help the team win a playoff round.

So should Toronto re-sign him or try to find a proven winner through free agency or trade? That will be a big question that needs to be answered.

Jason Spezza

Will Jason Spezza sign his fourth one-year deal with Toronto, chase his dream elsewhere, or retire? He will be 39 next season and is five points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark. Like most Toronto fans, I like Jason Spezza. Dubas will have to decide whether or not a younger player can fill Spezza’s on-ice role more productively than Spezza can.

It can not be said how much Spezza’s leadership has helped this team on and off the ice, but the team has yet to win with him in the lineup. Having Spezza on the team for the league minimum of $750,000 is helpful from a cap standpoint. Unless he is ready to retire, it won’t be an easy decision for Dubas to make regarding Spezza’s future.

Ilya Lyubushkin

Since joining the Maple Leafs in the trade that sent Nick Ritchie to the Arizona Coyotes, Ilya Lyubushkin has become a fan favourite. He plays the physical style that Toronto’s defense has been lacking. He tallied 93 hits in 31 games with Toronto and a total of 187 hits on the season.

Lyubushkin made $1.35 million this season. If the Toronto Maple Leafs can re-sign him for less than $3 million, he should be brought back.

Colin Blackwell

Colin Blackwell is a feisty little guy who averages 20 points a season. For a player who is a fourth-liner, that’s not too bad. Toronto should be able to re-sign him for under $1 million, so it won’t be surprising if he returns.

Mark Giordano

Mark Giordano brought leadership and stability to Toronto’s defense when he was acquired at the trade deadline. The only way Toronto would be able to re-sign him is if he signs a similar league minimum deal like Spezza. Seeing as how Toronto did not make it far in the playoffs, it is a good thing Kyle Dubas didn’t give up a first-round pick for Giordano.

Ilya Mikheyev

With the combination of Ilya Mikheyev wanting to be traded last year and his productive season this year, he might have priced himself out of Toronto. If he wants more than $2 million a season, then he has played his last game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mikheyev became a 20-goal scorer this season and might have an asking price that is too high for Toronto to accommodate.

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