No. 1: Nikita Zadorov
if the Leafs can only land one big-name UFA defenseman this summer, it better be Nikita Zadorov. GM Brad Treliving is very familiar with this player, as he's signed him on two occasions during free agency and gave him a team-friendly deal both times.
Unfortunately, I can't really see his deal being too team-friendly anymore, as his stock rose tremendously this season.
Zadorov is everything that the Leafs have been missing for years. Standing tall at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he's a physical player that is just reaching his prime.
At 29-years-old, I think the Leafs need to get aggressive with their pursuit of Zadorov and shouldn't be afraid to offer him a six or seven year contract.
I know that seems high for someone who doesn't typically contribute much offensively, but he's the exact piece that Toronto is missing.
Despite not typically scoring during the regular season, Zadorov would've led the Leafs in scoring this playoff-run, as he finished with four goals and eight points in 13 playoff games. His physicality and ability to play hard minutes in the playoffs with the Vancouver Canucks this season should make him the Leafs top target this offseason.