The Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing strong hockey this season and it seems as though they’re poised to make it back to the playoffs again. This time around, they would prefer to make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1967 and make a deep run rather than being eliminated in the first round. They made some moves in the offseason that showed they were willing to try and go all-in for a championship, and it seems as though they may not be done trying to improve their team just yet. In a recent segment on TSN, Darren Dreger believes that the Maple Leafs have moderate interest in signing forward Brandon Saad, who recently became a free agent.
Saad, who is 32 years old, is a left-shot forward from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks at 43rd overall and has spent the majority of his career with them, but has also had stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues. On Thursday (Jan. 30), Saad was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination after mutually agreeing to terminate the remainder of his contract with the Blues, walking away from two more years of his deal that had a $4.5 million cap hit.
Saad has struggled a bit this season, scoring seven goals and adding nine assists for 16 points through 43 games, and hasn’t been able to find much strength in the defensive zone. It seems to be a tough season for him, as he is coming off of a strong 26-goal campaign last season, finishing with 42 points through 82 games. Throughout his career, he has scored 260 goals and added 255 assists for 515 points through 906 games which comes out to a 0.57 points-per-game average. It’s fair to assume he would sign for close to the league minimum, which the Maple Leafs can fit in.
Saad Could Be Strong Fit for Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have a little over $2 million in cap space to work with at the time of this article, which gives them more than enough to compete for Saad and make him a strong offer. He is a good depth forward who needs a fresh start, and giving him a lesser role on a contending team could be exactly what he needs to find his game again. He has proven before that he can be a strong offensive producer and if he can provide depth scoring on a cheap contract, signing him will look like a genius move.
It’s safe to assume the Maple Leafs won’t be the only team with interest in Saad, as plenty of contending teams should be looking for impact players at a discounted price. It might be risky to bring in a player like Saad who has struggled this season, but if it works out and he bounces back under a new system and new coaching, it would be beneficial. Saad himself could also earn a new contract next offseason if he plays well enough to show other teams he’s worth taking on for longer.
Despite the team only having moderate interest, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Maple Leafs made Saad an offer. He brings a physical side that any playoff team would like in their lineup, and his experience in the postseason could be another enticing asset for contending teams. With the struggles from Ryan Reaves this season, adding a new forward to their depth chart would be a smart move. At the end of the day, it seems like Saad will have several suitors interested in bringing him in, so if the Maple Leafs want to be the ones who sign him, they better act fast.
As the 2024-25 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
