Here we are in the weeks after NHL Free Agency started and it seems like most teams are quiet currently with all the big names off the board.  This is not unusual because this year was just like other years where you needed to have a partner to the dance on July 1^st because after that most teams are out of Cap Space or roster space.  The unusual part this year was the amount of spending done on July 1^st this year compared to other years. This year the total amount spent on new contracts for UFA players topped over $1.12 BILLION for over 100 contracts signed that day alone. That is crazy! But it is also possible because for the first time in years the NHL Salary Cap went up by more than $1 Million for the next season. 

Over 100 players signed new contracts on Canada Day alone. Some big names went to unfamiliar places. The Nashville Predators were busy on July 1^st by signing such players as Jonathan Marchessault to a 5-year contract worth $27.5 Million, Brady Skjei to a 7-year contract worth $49 Million, Scott Wedgewood to a 2-year contract worth $3 Million to be the back-up to Juuse Saros, but most surprisingly was them signing Steven Stamkos to a 4-year contract worth $32 Million. 

Other teams were busy and signed other big-name players to contracts like Chicago signing Tyler Bertuzzi 4-year contract worth $22 Million, Washington signed Matt Roy to a 6-year contract worth $34.5 Million, Tampa Bay traded for the rights to Jake Guentzel and then signed him to a 7-year contract worth $63 Million. Fresh off his Stanley Cup victory Brandon Montour went to the west coast signing a 7-year contract with Seattle worth $50 Million.  Jake DeBrusk is another one who went west after Vancouver gave him a 7-year contract worth $38.5 Million. Boston then signed Elias Lindholm (7-years for $54.25 Million) and Nikita Zadorov (6-years for $30 Million). The New Jersey Devils new head coach Sheldon Keefe got a pair of fresh players in Brett Pesce (6-years $33 Million) & Brendan Dillion (3-years $12 Million) to go with the new goalie Jacob Markstrom, whom they acquired on June 19^th in a trade with Calgary. San Jose added some needed veteran leadership to their young core by signing Tyler Taffoli to a 4-year contract for $24 Million & Alexander Wennberg to a 2-year contract for $10 Million. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs were busy this year as well. It started on day 2 of the NHL draft when the sent Max Ellis and a 2026 7^th round draft pick to Dallas for the negotiating right to Chris Tanev. The next day Brad Treliving took care of a couple housekeeping duties in re-signing Timothy Liljegren (2 years for $6 Million) and Max Domi (4 years for $15 Million). On the first day of free agency the Maple Leafs signed the recently acquired Chris Tanev to a 6-year contract for $27 Million. They added a pair of Stanley Cup winners in Oliver Ekman-Larson (4 Years for $14 Million) and Anthony Stolarz (2 years for $5 Million), the latter of which will be part of the goaltending tandem in Toronto with Joseph Woll. Speaking of Woll, he was also signed to a 3-year $11 Million extension that will kick in for the 2025-26 season.  As insurance they also re-signed Matt Murray to a 1-year contract worth $875 Thousand to be the third goalie and be one of the 3 or 4 goalies used for the Toronto Marlies this upcoming season.  On July 2^nd and 3^rd, the Maple Leafs added to their depth by signing the trio of Philippe Myers, Dakota Mermis and Cedric Pare to 1-year contracts worth $775 Thousand. 

The Maple Leafs did sign defenceman Jani Hakanpaa to a 2-year contract worth $3 Million, but the contract has not been registered with the NHL yet due to concerns about a knee injury that forced him to not play any games after March 16. There seems to be serious concerns that he may never be able to play again due to the severity of the injury he sustained. With him off the books the Maple Leafs have a current cap space of $2.46 Million for the upcoming season. 

Jani would have slid into the top 6 of the Maple Leafs’ defence but with the uncertainty around him that opens a potential roster spot for one of the few remaining free agent defencemen that are out there currently. As of today, July 19 there are currently 16 free agent defencemen available, and only 9 of those are the always wanted right-handed shot variety. Let us look at who could be a potential fit for the Maple Leafs if Hakanpaa is injured as badly as people believe he is. 

 

Here are all the Free Agent Defencemen Available

Here are all the right handed shot Free Agent Defencemen Available

So, looking at the list of available right-handed shot defencemen we can eliminate a few right away. Tyson Barrie, Nikita Ziatsev and John Klingberg will not be returning to Toronto due to the amount of money they would want prices them out of Toronto, injury issues with Klingberg and the fact that all 3 flopped as member of the Maple Leafs during their time with the organization is another major reason as to why they will not be back. Another name we can eliminate would be Tony DeAngelo. He would fit in cap wise but that would be the only way he would fit in. Tony has had a history of off-ice incidents that MLSE, (Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment) owners Rogers and Bell would excuse themselves from quick. Rogers has a history of getting rid of players quickly when there is incident that would embarrass the organization, look at Roberto Osuna in 2018 for the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Eliminating those 4 players that leaves us with 5 viable options to fill the role. Justin Schultz, Kevin Shattenkirk, Gustav Lindstrom, Robert Bortuzzo, & Calen Addison are those 5 potential players. Justin Schultz might be pricing himself out of Toronto’s mindset unless they are able to pull of another move that would free up some salary cap space *Cough* Trade Marner and Liljegren *Cough* sorry about that.

Kevin Shattenkirk is an interesting one to think about. Yes, he is getting up there in age at 35, he is still 2 years younger than me though, but that experience could be useful on the backend for the Maple Leafs. Plus, he has had a history of eliminating Toronto from the playoffs with Boston this past season. He would fit in being #6 or #7 defencemen on the Maple Leafs Roster quite nicely if you ask me.  https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=105410

Robert Bortuzzo is another one who is on the down swing of his career also at 35 years of age but there still might be enough in the tank for him to fill the same kind of role as Shattenkirk. Bortuzzo also did win a Stanley Cup with St. Louis while being coached by current Maple Leafs head coach Craing Berube. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=96506

Both Gustav Lindstrom (25) and Calen Addison (24) are intriguing because of their age but both would be looking for a bit of a pay raise than they had last received.

Lindstrom has struggled in his NHL career with 35 points in 174 games played and has been splitting time between the AHL and NHL since 2019 and even being claimed off waivers this past season. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=195167

Addison has had a bit of a more successful offensively with 50 points in 152 games. Since the 2022-23 season he has not been sent back down to the AHL. Addison might be worth the shot of trying to get if he can come in at a reasonable number (like around $1 Million to $1.5 Million a season possibly). https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=191479

All this discussion might be a moot point thought because the Maple Leafs still have some restricted free agents to deal with. Nicolas Robertson is one, but he has asked to be moved after not being used as he would like to be. Another one they have is Connor Dewar who filed for arbitration, and I am sure he would like to collect as much of that $2.46 Million in Salary Cap space as he can get. 

Brad will have a busy few weeks before training camps open in September and hopefully the Maple Leafs roster will look a little bit different for the Buds and their new coaching staff lead by new head coach Craig Berube. 

Leave a comment below or on social media links as to what you would do as the Maple Leafs General Manager! 

GO LEAFS GO!!