The NHL Draft starts on Friday and not long after comes NHL free agency, with the frenzy already underway. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, GM Brad Treliving has hinted he’s going to be active and there are a handful of names that the team is being linked to. Some options are internal as the organization tries to secure deals with some of the players they have. Other targets are coming from different organizations and the team sees them as good fits for what Treliving is trying to accomplish.
Here is the latest on four pending UFAs and where the Leafs sit with respect to these players’ futures.
Chris Tanev is High on Toronto’s List
Defenseman Chris Tanev is smack dab in the center of a bidding war between the Dallas Stars and the Maple Leafs. He is going to get paid (perhaps overpaid) and it won’t take long before he’s landed somewhere after the bell for free agency begins. “I firmly believe that Chris Tanev will be a Toronto Maple Leaf,” said Carlo Colaiacovo on TSN’s First Up this week. He’s not the only analyst to think this.
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There will be several teams pitching to the defenseman but the Leafs can frontload any deal and include bonuses which makes separating themselves from the final years of a longer-term contract a possibility. If he gets a five-year deal, some fans will not be happy with the decision. They may be willing to overpay because the belief is they love this player.
Will Tyler Bertuzzi Head to Free Agency?
While the most recent reports suggest Tyler Bertuzzi is headed to the market, it turns out the door is not completely closed on Tyler Bertuzzi returning to the Leafs. Reports by insiders like Darren Dreger note that Bertuzzi is willing to be flexible and would be very open to making something work with the Maple Leafs before taking on offers from other teams.
Dreger said, “Tyler Bertuzzi is super motivated to stay with the Leafs. He feels like he is a real good fit there. He is willing to be creative. He is not looking at the $5.5M on a 1Y deal last year. He knows he has to take less” Chris Johnston added that he didn’t think Bertuzzi was taking the ‘pay more or I’m out the door’ stance. NO hard lines have been drawn and Bertuzzi wants to make it work.
The issue for Toronto is term, which is Bertuzzi’s priority.
Is Steven Stamkos an Option for Toronto?
An interesting development is surfacing in Tampa Bay where it appears Steven Stamkos won’t be returning to the Lightning. As per Pierre LeBrun: “From Stamkos’ agent Don Meehan, who tells me regarding his client: “He will be a free agent on July 1.” Is this someone the Leafs would shift gears for and bring him in as a second-line center?
If Stamkos is going to market Monday there has been talk for years that he’s the kind of player the Leafs might pursue. There will be competition from teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators, so it’s no clear how likely a Stamkos-to-Toronto deal might be. It might be worth the Leafs inquiring.
John Tavares will likely be moving on at the end of this season. If Max Domi isn’t returning, there could be an opening on the roster this season. Should the Leafs move Mitch Marner, they’ll need more offense. The issue would be overpaying for Stamkos, who might be leaving Tampa because they weren’t prepared to meet his ask.
Brett Pesce Toronto’s Backup Plan to Tanev?
There is speculation the Leafs are going for two right-shot defensemen this summer, but much of that will depend on what money is spent elsewhere and what a player like Brett Pesce will command on the open market. Pesce’s fit with the Maple Leafs is obvious and he would make for a nice fit in their top four.
The Maple Leafs will have the cap room if they don’t add Tanev, depending on the number, could add both players. The issue for Toronto is that other teams are interested in Pesce and he won’t last long on the open market.