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How Toronto Maple Leafs Can Set Sights on Recruiting Steven Stamkos

By Jeff Borsuk

Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning faces off in the second period during Game Six of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amalie Arena on April 29, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning faces off in the second period during Game Six of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amalie Arena on April 29, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently in a difficult position trying to ice their current team while up against the salary cap ceiling.

According to CapFriendly, the team is already over the cap by close to $9M ($8,831,450). By including Jake Muzzin’s LTIR savings, it reduces the Toronto Maple Leafs excess. However, they’re still exceeding the salary cap by $3,206,450.

This will get worked out prior to the start of the season and may not be an issue by this time next year. If true, that would open up a world of possibilities.

There are a couple of ways that see the Leafs gain more space for next season.

The current team cap is $83.5M. It’s projected that by 2024-25, it will be at $88 million. This will give the club a great influx of space. That also comes at a pivotal time for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they hope to complete contract extensions with two of their star players, William Nylander and Auston Matthews.

How Toronto Maple Leafs Can Set Sights on Recruiting Steven Stamkos

If General Manager Brad Treliving and the Leafs aren’t able to come to terms on an extension then this can open up even more room to draw new players to Toronto. Of all the players who will be available, there is one who stands out beyond the rest, Steven Stamkos.

The Tampa Bay Lightning captain makes perfect sense to join the Maple Leafs. He grew up in Unionville, a section of Markham, Ontario, which is a suburb of Toronto. It’s also Stamkos went to school and he his minor league hockey. He was a part of the AAA Markham Waxers.

Much like John Tavares and Jason Spezza did, Stamkos could follow his passion and return to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It would be an opportunity to fulfill his childhood dream while on the back half of his career.

This wouldn’t be the first time that the two-time Stanley Cup champion was intertwined with the possibility of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2016, Steve Simmons reported that the pitch was on to bring Stamkos to Toronto.

At the time, the center met with a group comprised of the Maple Leafs ownership team, Toronto’s then mayor, John Tory, and Canadian Tire chief executive Michael Medline.

Instead of inking a deal with the Buds, Stamkos returned to the Lightning on an eight-year pact worth $68M. That has paid him an annual salary of $8.5M. At the end of this season so too his the contract. That will make Stamkos an unrestricted free agent with the ability to sign with any team of his choice.

Next. Top Remaining Available Players. dark

Having already done it all in Tampa, it’s time for Stamkos to come home. In the same way Tavares was embraced when he chose the Leafs in free agency, so too would Stamkos.

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