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5 NHL Free Agents Who Could Instantly Transform the Toronto Maple Leafs

By Jeff Borsuk

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: President Brendan Shanahan and assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser of the Toronto Maple Leafs talk prior to Round One of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: President Brendan Shanahan and assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser of the Toronto Maple Leafs talk prior to Round One of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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At the start of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base would have expressed that they would be satisfied with the club progressing beyond the first round of the playoffs.

When Nick Cousin scored the overtime winner of Game 5, eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs from their Stanley Cup pursuit, many fans forgot that they were going to be happy with how far the team managed to get.

With an appetite for success, the team, players, and their fans all want the Leafs to go even deeper in the playoffs next season.

One way to do it is to find difference makers to join the club. That can happen as early as July 1 when the 2023 crop of unrestricted free agents (UFAs) become available to sign with a new team.

There are going to be a number of Maple Leafs heading out the door, especially the ones who are also UFAs. The member of the team that the franchise should push to re-sign the most is “The Factor,” Ryan O’Reilly.

Toronto Maple Leafs UFA Options: Ryan O’Reilly

O’Reilly is a player who will have many suitors. He has proven that he has lived up to his knickname while playing for multiple teams. Especially in the post season, O’Reilly shows up and makes a difference.

The former Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, Lady Byng, and Selke Trophy winner is a veteran in the game. He adds to his team’s on-ice production and is a value to have in the locker room as well. Since he has now had the opportunity to spend time playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the hope is that he will want to return.

The ideal situation for the franchise is for O’Reilly to re-sign and do so on a hometown discount. If he wants to finish his career in Toronto in a similar fashion to Jason Spezza and Mark Giordano, then there is a possibility that this could happen.

Depending on what happens with O’Reilly, the Leafs will have room to chase down and get one of the biggest available UFAs.

This is their best five options and fits.

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