3 Cheap Forwards the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Still Sign

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As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into a different era under new General Manager Brad Treliving, the team is looking to change it’s identity.

Both Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi are officially Toronto Maple Leafs, making the team’s forward group as dangerous and talented as it’s ever looked on paper.

Although the team added TSN’s 2nd ranked player on their free agency frenzy board, the team still has tons of holes to fill, and that starts in the net, continuing onto their bottom six and finishing with an entire pair on their back end.

As of this post, it feels like the team expects several internal options already signed to the team, whether under rookie contracts or others, to take a leap and play important minutes, as the team is currently listed as having exactly $0 in cap space.

For the sake of this post, though, we’re going to act as if the team has already found a way to open up space, whether it be with future trades, buyouts, retirements, or unexpected LTIR candidates emerging out of thin air, to add more players.

Candidates to move would be players like TJ Brodie, Matt Murray, and Mark Giordano, who have all been discussed as players who could be on their way out of Toronto in different scenarios. Assuming something happens with players like that, let’s get creative and find some names the Maple Leafs could add on the cheap that could add plenty to a roster that needs all the help they can get.

Following Free Agent Frenzy, plenty of top names are still looking for new homes for the 2023-24 season, and among them are big names with checkered pasts who could make a big impact in a lesser role in a top-scoring team.

Names like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Vladimir Tarasenko are still open for the taking, but for this post, we’re only going to discuss the ones the Leafs could realistically do work if a few million dollars became available for them.

Here are three names who the Blue and White could realistically look to add from now till the start of the 2023-24 season. Remember, the name of the game is finding forwards who are cheap, affordable, and can play the right role, not the best player available or forward with the most points praying they’d take a massive pay cut.

ELMONT, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: Josh Bailey #12 of the New York Islanders celebrates his third period goal against the Buffalo Sabres at the UBS Arena on March 07, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

3 Cheap Forwards The Toronto Maple Leafs Could Still Sign This Offseason

1. Josh Bailey

The left-shooting winger is 6’1 and was drafted 9th overall back in 2009 (the same draft that saw John Tavares go first-overall)

The former 9th overall pick was recently bought out by the team he’s spent his whole career with, opening the door for the player to take on a different role with a new club and think about adding a Stanley Cup to his resume.

This makes Josh Bailey a realistic option for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team looking to add to its bottom six at a cheap number, given his $2.22 million in earnings from the New York Islanders for this season.

Bailey can also play left winger, a position the Leafs have notoriously lacked depth at, giving them the ability to get creative with Bailey’s role up and down the lineup if he were to sign.

It’s hard to imagine Bailey taking a league minimum contract, but crazier things have happened, and if he’s sign for cheap, he’d be a good option.

Bailey would be an excellent fit joining a team captained by his former captain and teammate, John Tavares. The only downside here is that the Leafs do need to leave room for the promotion of prospects, and you don’t want to block anyone’s path with a glut of borderline NHL players.

Still, I believe Bailey has more to give and would be an excellent addition.

Feb 24, 2018; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Paul Stastny

As a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, Paul Stastny notched just 22 points, playing mostly on the fourth line of one of the best teams in the NHL.

Despite a lackluster 2022-23 season, Stastny entered the year coming off a 21-goal 45-point season with the Winnipeg Jets and would add depth scoring to a Maple Leafs team in desperate need of it.

The former 2nd overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft is also a versatile forward who could play down the middle of the ice and made just $1.5 million AAV this past year, something the Toronto Maple Leafs would look to cut in half.

On the Leafs, I envision Statsny playing on a hypothetical line with David Kampf and Ryan Reaves where he and Kampf could share C responsibilities.

Stastny also has a history of playing on the penalty kill for several teams in the past, but at 37 years old, it would be hard to envision that scenario if he were to end up on the Leafs.

Stastny has also played 118 playoff games in his career.

Tomas Tatar #90 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

3. Tomas Tatar

Right off the bat, I realize it’s going to be pretty damn difficult to get a player of Tomas Tatar’s caliber on the cheap side of things.

But if the player who’s played for four different franchises finds it difficult to land a new home this offseason, then a one-year deal with one of the league’s top-scoring teams could be a fit as he looks for a new deal the following season.

Tatar would add much-needed depth to the Toronto Maple Leafs left side of their forward group, a player who could move up and down the lineup and score goals.

Just this past season, Tatar posted 20 goals and 48 points on the New Jersey Devils, playing several different rolls on the second-ranked team in the Metropolitan Division.

The 32-year-old has multiple 50-point seasons on his resume and could add extra scoring in the bottom six of the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup.

The only issue would have to be the player willing to take less, similar to Tyler Bertuzzi who believes in hi ability to post career-high numbers and cash in the following year.

Next. The 10 Best Remaining Free-Agents. dark

The Leafs need to fill out their roster, and on a cheap enough deal, any of these three players would look great in the blue and white.

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