Toronto Maple Leafs Players Who Likely Won’t Be Returning
Noel Acciari
It will be interesting to see what the Leafs do with Noel Acciari. He was another trade deadline pickup. However, unlike O’Reilly, Acciari isn’t a game changing player. He could be a depth piece but is far less likely to not return next season.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 35%
Michael Bunting
The most interesting of the Leafs’ UFAs has to be Michael Bunting. He has been a lightning rod of controversy as the NHL’s Stone Cold Steve Austin. With the extra attention he attracts from referees, the Buds will need to decide whether Bunting’s offense is worth the time he spends in the penalty box.
Thanks to Bunting having back-to-back seasons scoring over 20 goals, he is due a big raise. This season, he earned just $950k. While the organization would want to keep the left-winger, they will most likely use the space they would need for Bunting to keep O’Reilly.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 45%
Wayne Simmonds
If Toronto couldn’t find space for Wayne Simmonds even after Bunting was suspended for three games, there’s no reason to expect him to return for another year. He is strongly suspected to be retiring after the season.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 1%
Zach Aston-Reese
Zach Aston-Reese has been a cheap fourth line player. He’s exactly what the Leafs will be looking for again next season. If the club and Aston-Reese can come to terms where he remains close to being paid league minimum, he could be on his way back to the Big Smoke.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 70%
Defensemen
While there are seven forwards who can potentially walk away in the offseason, the Maple Leafs need to address just three expiring contracts on the blue line.
Justin Holl
A big reason why the Maple Leafs fumbled the 2021 Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft was because of Dubas’s desire to keep Justin Holl. The time is almost upon us to see just how those feelings have held up since then.
Holl played himself out of the lineup in the opening round of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning. His egregious errors made him a liability at times. That’s not to say that Holl isn’t a fine NHL player. He is. Unfortunately, Holl has been branded by Leafs fans as someone who needs to leave town.
Holl can continue to earn $2 million a year, which is a fitting salary for what he brings to the ice. It just won’t be paid to him by the Maple Leafs next season and beyond.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 10%
Luke Schenn
Luke Schenn is not the same player he was on his first pass with the Leafs. The playoffs have proven that at age 33, he can still play and make things difficult for his opponents. Schenn has been a physical presence in the playoffs, a trait that was desperately needed in the organization.
The Leafs will likely try to work out a deal to continue keeping Schenn in blue and white. He currently carries a cap hit of $850k. If he’s willing to re-sign at that same value, there’s no way he’s going anywhere.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 60%
Erik Gustafsson
Erik Gustafsson joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the return received for shipping Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals. Gustafsson, at 31-year-old, was likely sought after to add another veteran presence for the playoffs.
Gustafsson, much like Schenn is a depth piece for the Leafs. However, unlike Schenn, Gustafsson is a fast skater. An upper body injury limited Gustafsson’s time in the first round.
His first time in the lineup was in Game 6 where he skated just 7:38 minutes of ice time. Just like with Schenn, the Leafs interest in Gustafsson will be his price tag. He can continue to be a bottom pairing player if he returns at close to league minimum.
Chance of remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs: 50%
Prospects
Radim Zohorna
Radim Zohorna is a forward who played his first NHL season with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2020-21 season. He joined the team as an undrafted free agent from the Czech Republic and played in eight games, recording two goals and two assists.
Zohorna showed some promising signs this season in the AHL. While he did play a total of 10 NHL games between the Calgary Flames and Maple Leafs, the majority of his time was spent in the AHL. Between the Calgary Wranglers and Toronto Marlies, the 27-year-old recorded 34 points in 51 games.
At this point in his career, Zohorna won’t see many more NHL games. He is a serviceable player in the AHL and will find a spot somewhere. There’s little benefit to the Toronto Maple Leafs in keeping a roster position for him. He could be replaced by a younger prospect. It greatly depends on what the Leafs do in the draft.
Chance of remaining in Toronto: 30%
Jordie Benn
It’s clear that the descriptions thus far have been from the perspective of the Maple Leafs organization. One can’t lose sight that the players themselves have the ultimate decision on whether they wish to return to Toronto. This is especially important when considering Jordie Benn’s upcoming decision.
Benn signed with the Buds having played only in the NHL for the past 10 seasons. He may not have expected to have played the majority of his hockey with the Marlies this season. Knowing that the Leafs have treated him like a minor league player, expect Benn to find a squad who will use him more regularly in NHL.
Chance of remaining in Toronto: 5%
Carl Dahlström
Carl Dahlström was a former 2013 second round draft pick. He went 51st overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Since coming over to North America, he’s been up and down between the NHL and AHL.
The defenseman is now 28-years-old and should expect to continue playing in the AHL. No matter where he lands, his value in the NHL will be as a call-up. There is benefit to the Maple Leafs in having a player with Dahlström’s experience, but he, just like Benn, will likely test the free agent market to find a spot that gives him a better chance to play NHL hockey.
Chance of remaining in Toronto: 5%
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Note: Statistics and figures from CapFriendly.