No. 3: Andreas Johnsson
The Leafs couldn’t have sold higher on Johnsson, as he hasn’t been able to replicate his 20-goal and 43 point season from 2017-18 since.
In fact, he’s struggled for most of his time in New Jersey, as he’s spent the majority of the season with the AHL’s Utica Comets this year.
Is Johnsson an NHLer anymore or will he be stuck as a lifetime AHLer? It’s hard to say at this point, but if the Devils are willing to eat half of Johnsson’s contract, he could turn back into his old self in Toronto.
During his time in Toronto, he was awesome. He had speed and seemed to fit in the top-six alongside good players. His game is fit more towards a top-six role, based on his size and skillset, so he could be a cheap option on the second-line, playing alongside a few players he used to have success with.
Personally, I wouldn’t bank on this player as a solution, but it wouldn’t be too crazy to believe that he’d give Johnsson another chance, especially after his incredible run with the Toronto Marlies during their Calder Cup season and 20-goal campaign with the Leafs.