Now that Christmas has come and gone, we can now turn our attention to the new year. Jan. 1 on the NHL calendar carries significance. It is the day that all NHL teams are eligible to offer extensions to their players on a one-year deal. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a handful of names that are on one-year deals and will be allowed to discuss extensions in the coming days.
The list of names includes Noah Gregor, Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi, Martin Jones, and Ilya Samsonov. However, for the sake of this article, we will focus on three players and why the Maple Leafs should look to attempt to extend them as early as possible.
Noah Gregor
Gregor has been considered one of the best signings by the Maple Leafs this past offseason, which started with a professional tryout (PTO). He is a quiet player who battles hard every shift and has tremendous speed. His greatest asset is his speed, but he also possesses other standout qualities. He has embraced his role on the team’s fourth line, which has seen him quickly become a fan favourite. His speed helps him get in on the forecheck and force the opponent to make a play with less time. These are the types of plays that typically lead to turnovers because the player feels rushed. Gregor has also found the scoresheet a bit lacking during his time with the club. In 33 games, he has five goals and two assists for seven points; his career high in points is 23 in 68 games in 2021–22 with the San Jose Sharks.
Gregor and the Maple Leafs should have a mutual interest in an extension. The 25-year-old could be looking to get an extension with a bit more term, though. He spent the last four seasons with the aforementioned Sharks. However, with him playing well in Toronto, he could want to explore the market for a deal with an additional year. The Maple Leafs do have the depth in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Toronto Marlies, but with Gregor only being 25 and a promising depth piece, it should be a no-brainer. The organization should offer him a deal in the ballpark of $1-$1.5 million average annual value (AAV) over two years. He will be 27 years old when his contract ends, and by that time, the club should have a solidified bottom six so they could replace him. For now, his fit with the team has been outstanding, and both sides should find a way to keep him in blue and white.
Max Domi
When Domi signed with the Maple Leafs, all of Leafs Nation was excited because of his family heritage. His dad, Tie Domi, played for the organization and was a fan favourite. While Max isn’t as big of a fan favourite as his dad, he has found his place within the team, and the fan base seems to love it. He, Nick Robertson, and Calle Jarnkrok have been a good, reliable line that provides the team with depth scoring. Domi has three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 33 games. He also gives the team the ability to slide him up and down the lineup. Especially given his connection with Mitch Marner, it gives the Maple Leafs another look if there is an injury or if a line isn’t clicking. Both sides should attempt to work out an extension and give Domi a chance to play with the Maple Leafs long-term.
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Similar to Gregor, Domi and the Maple Leafs should both have a mutual interest in an extension. In this case, Domi may be willing to accept a reduced salary in an attempt to give his team the best chance to win. Growing up as a fan of the Maple Leafs and having the chance to finally get this team over the hump and win their first Stanley Cup since 1967 would be very intriguing. Due to that and the expectation that he will take a pay cut, his contract extension could be as low as $2 million AAV over three seasons. This allows him to still earn a total of $6 million while taking less per season to free up cap space for the club to allocate elsewhere.
Tyler Bertuzzi
When the Maple Leafs signed Bertuzzi, they inked one of the biggest fish on the open market. He and Domi signed, which had Leafs Nation very excited because the team was finally addressing the lack of grit. Fans were also excited when they imagined him alongside Marner and Auston Matthews on the top line. Unfortunately, that was short-lived; the fit wasn’t there, and he found himself on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. The trio has been outstanding; the change to put Bertuzzi on the second line was one of head coach Sheldon Keefe’s best decisions. In 33 games this season, he has six goals and eight assists for 14 points. Although this isn’t a lot of points, his recent play has been catching attention. He is the lead forechecker, who digs in the corners and goes to the front of the net, which is exactly what Tavares and Nylander have been missing for the last few seasons.
When Bertuzzi signed with the Maple Leafs, he agreed to a deal worth $5.5 million. The Maple Leafs should try their hardest to find a way to get him signed for the next few years. If there is interest from Bertuzzi, they should look to sign him for the next four seasons at $4.5-5 million AAV. This may be less than he could command on the open market; however, he has shown that he can be a valuable asset to the team. The organization should take the approach that he can be an integral part of the team going forward, and he may need to take less to try and win.
With the Maple Leafs’ goaltending issues now, general manager (GM) Brad Treliving has a lot on his plate. He may also be trying to improve their defence core ahead of the playoffs. However, it would be smart for him and the organization to look at extending a few of the players who are on expiring deals. Bertuzzi, Domi, and Gregor would be on lists all across Leafs Nation for players that the team should extend as soon as possible.
