3 Big-Name Free Agents That the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Pursue, 2 to Avoid

Brett Pesce

Another big name that Leafs nation are very familiar with and where most had been wanting on their wish list since the end of time is defenseman Brett Pesce.

With his big six-foot-three frame and over 200 pounds of brute strength, along with his smart hockey IQ and great positioning, Pesce is the ideal defensive defenseman that the Leafs have been looking for all these years.

Pesce had been a mainstay of the Carolina Hurricanes defense for the past nine seasons ever since they drafted him in the third round back in the 2013 Draft.

He was always among the team leaders in blocked shots, and was usually given the rigorous assignment to shut down opposing teams’ top lines.

Despite being classified mainly as a defensive defenseman, Pesce could actually contribute offensively as well from time to time. Despite not given much power play time, he has topped 20 points in five of his nine NHL seasons to date, including a career-high 30 points just a year ago in 2022-23.

Many have pleaded for the Leafs to obtain his services via trade in the past. But with Pesce potentially entering the free agent market this summer, it provides the perfect time for Toronto to pounce on him without given up any assets in return.

And if we hinted above that Montour could be a solid partner for Rielly, Pesce on the other hand could actually be the perfect partner for Rielly based on the complementary skills that they each possess.