One pending unrestricted free agent the Maple Leafs can steal from their Atlantic Division rivals
The Toronto Maple Leafs could still use another player or two that will improve their defense for 2024-25, and they may not need to look far to improve their lineup.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have finally clinched what has become a perennial playoff berth, but they still figure to be behind their top division rivals: the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers. Likewise, they aren’t too far ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and there is still a chance the Maple Leafs could drop to the wild card and end up playing a division winner.
But what if they spent the 2024 offseason looking for ways to lure an unrestricted free agent or two from the Atlantic Division to Ontario? Not every team with pending UFAs has big-name players, but there are more than a few who would serve a purpose on the Maple Leafs should they find a way to bring them to town.
Tyson Jost, Buffalo Sabres/Forward
Tyson Jost may not be a flashy player like some listed in this piece, but he’s nonetheless been outstanding defensively at times in Buffalo. He’s not someone you would put onto the top-nine, but he’s versatile enough to be a fourth-line center or winger who can be physical when he wants to and can also boost a short-handed unit.
Jost’s advanced numbers won’t impress you, especially at 5-on-5, but his overall feisty mentality adds another layer of aggression that the Leafs can use for all of the 2024-25 season. This is a team that can score, and they do have aggressive players but forwards like Jost will help teams win championships.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Detroit Red Wings/Defenseman
The Maple Leafs have players on the blue line who can score, but Detroit’s loss should Gostisbehere not re-sign would be a major win for Toronto if he landed in Ontario next season. Gostisbehere continues to impress, with 50 points total in 76 contests already, plus 10 goals.
He remains an outstanding player, regardless of whose uniform he’s wearing, but you can only wonder what Gostisbehere could do with a top-tier scoring team like the Maple Leafs. His career-best is currently 65 points, and there would be a good chance that he snags that number in a blue and white uniform.
Dmitry Kulikov, Florida Panthers/Defenseman
Sometimes, rolling with a journeyman is the way to go, and Dmitry Kulikov has been a fixture for several NHL franchises since his first stint with the Florida Panthers between 2009 and 2016. Kulikov is an older player who has yet to hoist the Cup - though that could happen during his current stint with the Panthers. But if he doesn’t return to Sunrise next year, Kulikov would add more value than just as a hard-hitter to Toronto’s defense than Joel Edmundson or Ilya Lyubushkin.
He won’t contribute a ton of offense, but his 54.0 Corsi For rating at 5-on-5 is something neither Lyubushkin nor Edmundson will ever attain. Like a few other players on this list, Kulikov will also help Toronto’s short-handed units.
Tanner Pearson, Montreal Canadiens/Forward
Tanner Pearson hasn’t enjoyed anything close to an outstanding season with the Montreal Canadiens since he was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. Overall, he’s not someone the Maple Leafs would want on their top-nine, but he would make for a serviceable bottom-three player or even a 13th or 14th forward.
He’s more of a Tyson Jost type of player these days, perhaps a step down from the Sabres forward if this year holds any indication. That said, there have been times when Pearson has been a productive forward, logging between 40 and 45 points per season on three different occasions.
Dominik Kubalik, Ottawa Senators/Forward
Dominik Kubalik could be the best fit for Toronto in this entire piece, as he has shown a penchant for scoring, which would just add to what is already an incredible high-scoring front to begin with. But Kubalik can also play sound defense, something he’s shown at times throughout his career with three different teams.
No, he hasn’t enjoyed a good season, and there is a chance he’s moving on from Ottawa this summer. But thanks to his goal-scoring efforts in the past, there is a good chance Kubalik would rediscover his ability to find twine consistently in Toronto, Ontario.
Mathew Dumba, Tampa Bay Lightning/Defenseman
Mathew Dumba may come across as another Lyubushkin or Edmundson when you look at his numbers in both Arizona and Tampa. But he’s a much better and more consistent player who can do more than just land body checks and get in front of shots, something we have seen a lot of this season.
There have been times in his career when Dumba has helped out offensively, and thanks to Toronto’s high-octane style, he could rediscover that. This is something we have never seen from Lyusbushkin or Edmundson, and at worst, he’s on the third-pairing in a place like Toronto.
Matt Grzelcyk, Boston Bruins/Defenseman
Matt Grzelcyk is likely the best option on this list capable of providing sound defense. He can play on either the second or third pairing, as his 17:36 of average total ice time implies, and he’s someone a team could rely on to block at least one shot per game.
Thanks to Toronto’s goaltending woes, that would be a major boost for whoever lines up in the crease next season, though signs are pointing toward Ilya Samsonov. Grzelcyk has also shown a resurgence this season in the short-handed game, logging 53.6 minutes in 60 games at 4-on-5 and, with it, an on-ice save percentage of 86.7.
One more major defensive statistic to know is Grzelcyk’s on-ice save percentage at 5-on-5, which sits at 94.1 for his career. No, that probably wouldn’t be the case in Toronto, but it also shows us that the blueliner’s play has helped more than just goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, thanks to that number’s overall consistency.
While defense would be the primary motivation to bring in Grzelcyk, it’s also tough to completely underestimate his offensive game. No, he’s not much of a scorer, and no, his Corsi For at 5-on-5 won’t impress you this season, but he has shown the ability to help make plays happen offensively in the past with a career Corsi of 52.7.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)