The Toronto Maple Leafs' crowded roster could prevent them from finding a last-minute free agent after several remain unsigned as of Aug. 10.
Currently, the Toronto Maple Leafs have 49 out of 50 contracts signed to their club meaning that if they want to make any more moves, they need to be careful on who they choose. Not only that, but they also need to find a way to clear $2.75M to break even with the cap, but then find the money to sign a player while still being cap compliant before the regular season starts.
Although the team did a lot this summer to add specific role players to boost their defence and penalty killing, they didn't do too much in the way of adding a scoring threat beyond Jack Roslovic - who has been a bit of a streaky player over his career.
Toronto has options but almost no obvious openings to bring them aboard
They could stand to add one more reliable and consistent scoring presence to the top-six but there's no direct path to acquire one. There are free agents still on the market like Patrik Laine, Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, and Eeli Tolvanen but there's still a need to clear space even if they are signing for a smaller deal.
Laine and Tarasenko would provide reliable top-six scorers who have a history of being a threat with 224 and 327 goals respectively. Tarasenko also fits as a reliable postseason producer with 51 goals in 132 playoff games and was a Stanley Cup winner with St. Louis back in 2019.
Bunting has familiarity already with Auston Matthews, having been part of the Maple Leafs from 2021-2023 where he put up his best numbers of his career with back-to-back 23-goal seasons while playing on Matthews' wing.
Tolvanen makes sense stylistically as he's the youngest of the bunch at 27 years old, he's become a consistent scoring threat since arriving in Seattle (67 goals in 288 games) and adds physicality with an average of 123 hits over his career despite only being 5-foot-10. He also can add some help on the power-play as he has 12 PP goals in his four seasons with the Kraken.
There is hope for Toronto to at least see what one of these players can offer, as a PTO allows them to add a player to camp, see how they may or may not work out, then have the ability to offer them a deal afterwards - so long as they clear the space, make sure they are at least breaking even on the cap, and have no need to make any waiver claims because they won't have room.
Another veteran option forces Toronto to take minutes from players they already have
If the team were to add any of those players to the top-six, that would cause some chaos in the lineup. With the team wanting to win now, the help up front is beneficial but it comes at the cost of developing their future.
Easton Cowan may not get the chance to be in the top-six much and be relegated to the bottom-six. He can still thrive there with the right pieces and protection alongside him, but for their once top prospect - it's a bit of a drop-off.
Power-play chances likely won't come for him, given that the projected first unit has Matthews, Tavares, Knies, Nylander, and Raddysh. A veteran like Tarasenko or Bunting would then be pushed to the second line where Toronto has Jack Roslovic and Gavin McKenna projected to line up.
Speaking of McKenna, he too wouldn't find as many opportunities especially if there's a consistent threat available. He's going to still get his chances no doubt, but if Toronto is giving a veteran one equal chance to McKenna on average that creates competition instead of focusing on development.
The only real place that needs some firepower is the fourth line but that's already got a logjam with Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, and Steven Lorentz. So unless the team is targeting Tolvanen for a fourth-line checking role - none of the other players make much sense to throw down there.
Personally, the team should at least offer a PTO to a player like Tolvanen or Bunting. With Tolvanen you have a player firmly in his prime with prove goal-scoring potential and the extra physicality the team needs to help drive the offence meanwhile Bunting's familiarity and proven success alongside Matthews would give Toronto a sense of stability in the top-six.
But it's going to cost them their final contract spot, potentially more money than they can afford, and they could be standing in the way of developing players like Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna.
So whoever they bring in has to prove they're at least better than what the Maple Leafs already have.
Which free agent would you like the Maple Leafs to sign?
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