The Best and Worst Value Contracts Among Toronto Maple Leafs Defensemen
The Leafs have restocked their defense. With the blue line mostly complete, which players provide the best return on their deal?
The Toronto Maple Leafs made noteworthy defensive changes during NHL Free Agency. General Manager Brad Treliving signed Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to help replenish the team's blue line.
Reinforcements were needed after the Toronto Maple Leafs decided to part ways with aging players T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano. Last year's late-season pickups Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin left for more term and money elsewhere.
Restricted free agent Timothy Liljegren re-upped with the team for another two years.
It was also reported that the Maple Leafs signed free agent Jani Hakanpaa, but the team has yet to confirm his status. Health concerns appear to be the reason why nothing Official was announced.
The Leafs have devoted most of their salary cap space to their forwards. They rank in the bottom ten teams of the league with only 26% of their cap being spent on the defense.
With the back end coming into focus, it is a good time to determine which players provide the most value on their current deals for the coming season.
Best Value Contract on the Leafs Defense
Jake McCabe The bruising blue-liner is easily the best bargain among the Maple Leafs defensemen. McCabe is in the last year of a deal that pays him $4 million annually. That cap hit ranks 85th among NHL defensemen.
For that low number, the Leafs have a top-four defenseman, who logs twenty minutes per game, provides thunder (219 hits last season), and is relied on for critical, defensive zone starts.
He can also play both sides of the ice, and is only limited by being a below-average puck mover, something that shouldn't be such a problem this season, as the Leafs have addressed that deficiency.
Only thirty years old, the Maple Leafs would do well to be proactive and try to sign him to an extension before he hits free agency next summer, although good luck getting anywhere close to the current value.
Jake McCabe is on one of the best contracts in the NHL, and the trade that brought him to the Leafs was one of the best they've made in years.
Unfortunately, this is the only value contract on the Leafs blue-line, other than the possibility of a major breakthrough from Liljegren or a rookie making the team in training camp.
Worst Value Contract on the Leafs Defense
There is the potential for more defensemen to fall into this category, but for now, the dubious distinction goes to Ekman-Larsson.
The AAV of $3.5 million is acceptable (109th league-wide), but a four-year commitment carries great risk. Ekman-Larsson looked on the verge of playing his way out of the league during his last years with the Arizona Coyotes and his couple of seasons with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Leafs gave him a raise of over 50% and a three-year commitment even though last year he played the same role and had the same statistics as Mark Giordano, who they paid only $800 K.
He found a new life with the Cup-champion Florida Panthers, however, was he insulated by the strong team around him?
Of course he was. He won his minutes playing on the third pairing in a sheltered role, and parlayed a Stanely Cup win into an ill-advised raise and promotion.
His value comes from moving the puck and helping out offensively. He will have limited effectiveness If he doesn't mesh with the Maple Leafs stars at forward. His age is another red flag.
Even if he earns and succeeds in a top-four role, that means Jake McCabe will have less value because he'll either be on the third pairing or the right side.
What About the Other Leafs Defensemen?
Morgan Rielly His contract has a $7.5 million AAV (26th league-wide). He frequently leads the team in ice time and is the team's biggest offensive threat from the blue line, so he earns his keep.
His contract could provide great value should partnering with Tanev see an uptick in his play. The Leafs would welcome a return of the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 versions of Rielly or the dominant player that appeared versus the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2023 playoffs.
Rielly and the Maple Leafs secured his future in blue and white a few years ago for a number that works for both the player and the team.
Chris Tanev The contract for the team's biggest free agent acquisition has a "boom" or "bust" feel. The right-shot defenseman plays a robust, defensive game that the Leafs need, but he is well-past thirty years old. The six-year term is a long commitment to an older player.
A decline in performance or injuries from his playing style are serious concerns moving forward. This could turn out similar to the John Tavares signing. A move that could boost the team in the short term, but be an anchor during its later years.
Timothy Liljegren The much-maligned former first-round draft pick is again back with the Leafs. His two-year deal will allow him and the team more time to assess if this relationship works.
The $3 million AAV ranks 121st among NHL defensemen. It takes up 3.41% of the Maple Leafs cap space. Should Liljegren find consistency in his play under new coach Craig Berube and play to his offensive strengths, the deal looks great.
If he is unsteady or sporadic in his play, languishes in the bottom-pairing, and occasionally falls out of the lineup, it will be time to move on. His age and being on a cap-friendly deal would make for an easy trade.
The Rest
Simon Benoit was signed to a three-year extension last season. His AAV of $1.35 million is a low number but it's still well above the league-minimum for a replacement player.
The same thing can be said about the potential contract for Hakanpaa. Sure, it's not much over the league-minimum, but the point is that that money adds up and with similar players available for less, the Leafs bets here look bad.
Since these deals are so low, they probably don't hurt team and could likely be moved or burried in the minors, however they do offer negative value.
Overall Picture of the Leafs Defensive Contracts
A "wait and see" attitude is the best approach to determine the success of the Leafs defensive contracts.
The contracts of Rielly, Liljegren, Benoit, and McCabe are fair, but McCabe's number will go up should he have a good season. The deals for Tanev and Ekman-Larsson come with the risks of free-agent signings (too much money or too much term). Their AAVs are reasonable, but each is a long commitment to an aging player.
With only one truly great contract, and an aging group with little upside, the Leafs blue-line is fine for now but looks like a long-term disaster.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and general manager Treliving have greatly changed the look of their defense. The team did not spend recklessly on individual salaries, but they didn't really make any smart moves either.
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Their best contract is left over from the last regime, and their third pairing of Giordano/Liljegren is now OEL/Liljegrne but it used to cost $2.2 million and now costs $6.5 million. That isn't good value.