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Toronto Maple Leafs: Biggest Winners and Losers in NHL Free-Agency

By James Tanner

Apr 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) reacts after a game tying goal during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) reacts after a game tying goal during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs had a surprisingly good free-agency period.

The Toronto Maple Leafs started off poorly with the inexplicable singings of Ryan Reaves and David Kampf, but were then saved from making any further poor decisions as Justin Holl, Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Michael Bunting and Luke Schenn all signed for too much money and term with other teams.

Not only do the Leafs win a little by not signing these guys, they win again when other teams they are competing against waste cap space.

With that in mind, let’s check in on the winners and losers on free-agency day. 

Toronto Maple Leafs and Other Winners In Free Agency

Toronto Maple Leafs:  Adding Bertuzzi and Domi, and it only being for a single year is a big win for the Leafs.  Bertuzzi adds a dimension they’ve long been missing in their top-six, while Domi is a decent enough bottom-six player.

He’s not exactly that good, but at $3 million for a single season he doesn’t have to be.  Perhaps there’s some upside left to his game and at $3 million he’s worth the risk.

The main win for the Leafs isn’t who they signed though, it’s who they didn’t.  Not committing to Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Schenn makes the Leafs the biggest winners of the day.

Dallas Stars:  They got the best player available, Matt Duchene, on a big discount.

Carolina Hurricanes: They signed Orlov for cheaper and shorter than I would have thought possible, and they re-upped by man Freddie Andersen, one of the best goalies in Toronto Maple Leafs history.

New York Rangers: Blake Wheeler one year at $800K is a solid deal with no risk and a possible high reward, even if its not likely.

Washington Capitals:  One cheap year of Max Pacioretty is a great move. If he can play, he’s probably still elite. If he can’t, no loss.

Bonus Winner: All the team that did nothing.

Biggest Losers

Nashville (by a mile): Losing Duchene and then using the money they saved buying him out to pay for Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly on two of the day’s worst contracts is hilarious.

Pittsburgh Penguins:  Tristan Jarry for 5 years? OK then.  They also added Noel Acciari, Lars Eller, Rielly Smith, Alex Nedeljkovic, Matt Neito and Ryan Graves.  Too much money, too much term, horrible day for Kyle Dubas.

Anaheim Ducks: 4 x years for Killorn? Why?

Ottawa Senators: 5 years for Jonas Korpisalo? They never learn in Ottawa, do they?

Detroit Red Wings: 5 x 5 for JT Compher?  Now if you were getting J.T Parr from Chad and J.T this would be a great move.  But for Compher? No.

New York Islanders: It’s nice they locked up Sorokin, but the contracts they gave out to Engvall and Mayfield were crazytown.

Next. Ranking the Leafs Best Goalies Since 1990. dark

Boston Bruins: They lost Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, Nick Foligno, Garrett Hathaway and Dmitri Orlov.  They picked up JVR, Lucic and Shattenkirk. Yikes.

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