Free agency offers Leafs chance to reshape roster
DUBAS HAS SOME HOLES TO FILL, BUT CAP SQUEEZE AFFECTS OPTIONS
In a perfect world, Kyle Dubas acquires a thirdline centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the coming days or weeks.
The Leafs’ general manager, furthermore, adds another forward who can bring some snarl and resolve to the fourth line, if not the bottom six.
On the blue line, a veteran or two with experience and defensive acumen ( and preferably someone who plays the right side) would be required for the Leafs to get serious about moving up a peg or two in the Atlantic Division standings and going deep into the playoffs on an annual basis.
Dubas hinted during his media availability on Wednesday night that if he is going to get some work done once free agency opens on Friday at noon, it might not be for a while. Given his salary-cap troubles, and taking into account that Dubas has said a few times now he has little interest in trading players just for the sake of creating cap space, it’s possible the GM waits to see what players get squeezed beyond the initial hours or days of free agency.
At the same time, sitting idle while the market plays out could be detrimental, as teams that don’t have the financial constraints similar to Toronto could move quicker on available players.
Dubas, who has about US$ 5.4 million to spend under the cap and must use some of that money to sign restricted free agents Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott, waited to decide whether to qualify Frederik Gauthier until he saw what was going to become of other restricted free agents across the National Hockey League. Once the list of players who did not get qualifying offers started to get revealed, Gauthier’s future was sealed.
Of the others the Leafs did not qualify, we could see them circling back to forward Evan Rodrigues if other options fall off the table.
Among the NHL players who did not get qualifiers who could interest the Leafs include forwards Vinnie Hinostroza, Nick Cousins, Dominik Kahun, Mark Jankowski, Lucas Wallmark and Devin Shore. On defence, perhaps Matt Benning.
Two players who were not qualified and would be fine additions — forward Anthony Duclair and defenceman Troy Stecher — likely will command dollars, even in the pandemic landscape, that the Leafs can’t afford.
Free agent Wayne Simmonds would fill a need for the Leafs on the bottom six.
If Dubas decides to go the trade route after all, the obvious pieces to clear space would be Andreas Johnsson and Alex Kerfoot (and if Ker
foot is kept, keep your fingers crossed that he moves to the wing and the Leafs manage to replace him in the middle).
This doesn’t mean Dubas might not include depth and/ or marginal players such as Pierre Engvall, Denis Malgin, Nic Petan or Egor Korshkov in trades. And though we keep hearing from the Leafs about the depth on the blue line, would it be that difficult to part with players such as Martin Marincin or Calle Rosen if it meant clearing some space? No. How about Timothy Liljegren, who might never become nothing more than a third pair guy?
Dubas has to take all options into consideration. We have a sneaking suspicion he and the staff have been doing exactly that since the Leafs were disqualified by
the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 9.
Some defencemen who could get attention from the Leafs in free agency include T. J. Brodie, Zach Bogosian and Chris Tanev. The shoots- left, plays- right Brodie would have been a Leaf in the summer of 2019 had the Nazem Kadri trade with the Calgary Flames gone through. Bogosian and the Leafs were serious about linking up this past winter before Bogosian signed with Tampa Bay. We suppose Radko Gudas would fill a physical need, but he should be an option only if none others are available.
Before the Leafs head into whatever comes next, here’s a reminder of what the roster would look like if Dubas somehow managed to strike out everywhere (which would seem hard to believe, but we suppose anything is possible) in free agency and trades:
Forwards
William Nylander-auston Matthews-zach Hyman
Ilya Mikheyev-john Tavares-mitch Marner
Nick Robertson-alex Kerfoot-andreas Johnsson
Pierre Engvall-jason Spezza-alex Barabanov/ Denis Malgin
Defence
Jake Muzzin-justin Holl Morgan Rielly-travis Dermott
Rasmus Sandin-mikko Lehtonen
Extra: Martin Marincin, Timothy Liljegren
Goaltending
Frederik Andersen Jack Campbell
So yes, there’s room for plenty of improvement, and that’s considering the Leafs are content with their core moving forward. And keep in mind, too, that just because Dubas makes upgrades, it won’t instantly transform the Leafs into a Stanley Cup contender.
Coach Sheldon Keefe stressed on Wednesday that the core, more than anything, has to be better.
The responsibility rests on the shoulders of that group to lead the Leafs past, at the least, the front door of the playoffs in 2021.