3 bargain free agents the Maple Leafs should target this summer

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a myriad of changes to the team identity, all within a matter of weeks and continue to expand as they recently fired head coach Craig Berube.

As the offseason carries on, more changes should come to the organization. While the general manager, John Chayka has yet to make roster move, the team should consider these three players on this years UFA market to bring new life to the lineup.

A.J. Greer

Leafs fans might recall this name fairly easily, as Greer suited up for the Florida Panthers the last two seasons. However, the 29-year-old winger might be able to work some of his magic from this season as he recorded career-high's across the board.

In 78 games played this year, Greer amounted to 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) on a team that faced a shortage of firepower for a chunk of the season. Not being known as much of a scorer, what stands out about him is the grit he provided for the Panthers.

Greer piled up 113 penalty minutes, putting him in sixth place in the NHL this year -- up there with the likes of Tom Wilson, Nikita Zadorov and Arber Xhekaj.

He's a physical player, being able to throw jarring hits and drop the gloves with anyone who stands in his way. That's something the Leafs need if they ever want to flip the narrative of not standing up for each other that was given a while back.

Another attractive feature that might even be the most important is Greer can be signed for cheap. He signed a two-year, $1.7 million contract before the 2024-25 season. While it's short of $2 million, a small raise for much-needed physicality won't hurt the Leafs at all.

Ryan Shea

Shea has 150 games of NHL experience under his belt, all with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 29-year-old blueliner placed 10th on the Penguins with his 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) in 80 games played.

He was second among defencemen in points for the Penguins this year, behind none other than Erik Karlsson. Shea can attack the endboards, as he isn't afraid to jump into the play for a chance at a goal. He practically caught fire from January to the end of the season. If the Leafs decide to pick him up, continuing the hot hand would aid Toronto's blueline immediately.

For the last three seasons, Shea has signed one-year contracts worth under a million dollars. Should the Leafs get him for that cheap, he can help deepen the blueline core. Shea would also take some age off the defence units, which would provide a possibility for one of them to be dealt elsewhere in a trade.

Jack Roslovic

Roslovic had already made a name for himself during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Coming off a season with the Edmonton Oilers, the 29-year-old didn't have too bad a season, considering Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl basically run the forwards by a large margin, and the goaltending struggles this year for the team.

Roslovic was able to get 36 points (21 goals, 15 assists) in 69 games this season. While that total is under his career-high, he has been a consistent 30-plus point scorer over the past few years --making him a good choice in the bottom six for the Leafs.

Roslovic's one-year, $1.5 million deal has come to an end, opening up a similarly cheap contract opportunity for the Leafs to pounce on.

Although the top priority for the Leafs right now would be to appoint a new head coach, these players can help add to the big changes happening in Toronto. If the Leafs were these free agents who would, once again, be cap-friendly, they would then have the opportunity to relieve any players who aren't performing to the standards in Toronto and help the wallet of new GM, John Chayka.

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