The 9 most intriguing teams of NHL free agency: What I heard from a buzzy draft combine
Which teams are poised to make big moves over the next few weeks, and for who? Plus, an update on CBA talks.
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Without a first-round pick until 2028 (!) and not much in the prospect pool, it’s going to be difficult for GM Brad Treliving to make a huge splash in the trade market. But he needs to find a way to shed some of his bad contracts (Calle Järnkrok, David Kämpf and, maybe, Max Domi) and then spend that windfall into better three-line depth up front.
Looking at this free agent class, that’s going to be a tough ask.
The Leafs would also like to bring in a playmaker on D, but that feels more like a want than a must-have at this point, especially with seven NHL blueliners already signed. More importantly, they would like to upgrade at center, but with Brock Nelson reupped in Colorado and Bennett likely to do the same in Florida, there really aren’t many UFA options to pursue.
One piece of good news over the past few days is that UFA Max Pacioretty is leaning toward a return after the Leafs expressed considerable interest in keeping him following a terrific postseason, according to a league source. And the Leafs remain confident they will get Matthew Knies inked to a reasonable second contract without any offer-sheet drama.
Assuming John Tavares re-signs on a hometown discount (i.e., $5 million or less AAV), Treliving needs to then turn the rest of his $15 million or so cap space into some real help up front or Toronto could take a step back without Marner.
Would a big run at Marchand make sense, even with his age and sky-high asking price? It certainly looks like a real option, especially considering his ability to rise to the occasion in the playoffs — and the alternatives.
