The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Brad Treliving is the new general manager, and with the draft and free-agency on the horizon, he’s going to be busy.
Following the draft will be NHL free agency beginning on July 1st, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a few roster spots that need filling.
The Leafs have 14 unrestricted free agents between their NHL and AHL rosters, and that means that some of them will not return.
Players such as Wayne Simmonds, Zach Aston-Reese, Justin Holl, and Alex Kerfoot are not likely to return.
The Leafs have a list of prospects waiting to earn a roster spot in the NHL next season. Players like Matthew Knies, Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg, and Bobby McMann want to become NHL regulars.
The possible re-signing of Michael Bunting, David Kampf, Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Schenn, or Noel Acciari will depend on how the new GM feels about those players.
Like the case with most free agents, it will come down to cost. The salary cap can only accommodate so much, and some players could price themselves out of Toronto. Before the playoffs, it was likely that Schenn could return for $900,000, but his performance in the playoffs might have boosted that price.
Here’s a list of possible free-agent targets for Toronto this summer.