Brock Boeser
Similar to the situation of Ehlers above, Brock Boeser has also played in the shadows of Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller in recent years. Nevertheless, Boeser is only one year removed from his best season in 2023-24 in which he recorded 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games. He was also a force for the Vancouver Canucks during the playoffs that year, with seven goals and 12 points in as many games.
With goal scoring coming at a premium with the current free agent class, Boeser inadvertently becomes one of the top options available. And at just the young age of 28, he will have plenty of years ahead of him to make him a solid piece to add in the Stanley Cup puzzle for the Leafs.
Aaron Ekblad
Finally, it’s not everyday do you see a top-pairing defenseman available in free agency. But this season, there just happens to be an elite one in Aaron Ekblad. As a two-time Stanley Cup champion, Ekblad certainly knows how to get it done when the games matter most. With the ability to put up double digits in goals while averaging close to 40 points per season, he would significantly upgrade the Leafs offense from the back end without sacrificing much on defense at the same time.
Coming off his most productive playoffs in which he recorded four goals and 13 points in 19 postseason games, one can expect Ekblad to still be a solid contributor heading into his 30s. So the Leafs can make it a double-win for the team by adding a top defenseman in his prime while weakening their greatest rival in the Florida Panthers by cleverly taking him away from their roster.