Word from Jay on Leafs courtesy HockeyBuzz has the Maple Leafs reportedly waiting for a player to sign just as soon as they make the cap space available for him.
Rumour season is in full swing clearly and while we've seen many big moves this summer, there are possibly much more to come as we are only two weeks into July with another month and a half worth of time to see more trades, signings, and roster turnover.
The Maple Leafs have been at the centre of a lot of speculation this summer, with there being a potential Matthew Knies blockbuster being floated about with both Buffalo and Chicago, then the entire Morgan Rielly saga where it's still anyone's guess if he's going to be part of the team this season.
They still need help in the top-six, and there are still some free agents out there who could fit in or at least help push other players into that role such as Eeli Tolvanen or Patrick Kane, but time is running out for John Chayka.
One unnamed forward at least has more patience than Mario Ferraro
Lucky for him though, he already has a commitment - allegedly.
Jay on Leafs, who was reporting for hockey rumour site HockeyBuzz, revealed that the same source who mentioned Mario Ferraro did not want to wait around for the Maple Leafs to open up space despite interest also revealed Toronto does have someone keenly interested and they're willing to wait it out:
Despite missing out on Ferraro, that same source notes that another notable free agent is taking the opposite approach. Unlike Ferraro, this unnamed forward is reportedly willing to wait for Toronto to clear the necessary cap space and has already agreed to potential terms.
The player has significant interest in playing next season with the Leafs, a level of buy-in that aligns perfectly with the commitment management is seeking from new roster additions.
We don't know publicly who the source is, and obviously things are going to stay hush-hush when speaking on condition of anonymity but it's interesting to hear that Toronto does indeed have an interested party; we just don't know who.
Granted, Ferraro was a defender and Toronto was already pretty stacked there and with needing more forward help, it's a great sign that one player is bucking the trend and pursuing what they want instead of taking any potential deal.
Toronto's next move could show us the player coming in and the one headed out
While we have no idea who the player could be, it may not take long once a deal is made. If we see something with Rielly in the coming days then it'll be more likely that a signing and reveal will happen a short time after.
With Rielly opening up his options a bit, there is a chance to get a deal done a bit quicker so anxious fans may not need to be patient for too much longer. We heard Kane as an option but all signs are pointing to him going home to Buffalo.
Then there's Vladimir Tarasenko, who is a decade removed from his blistering level of production but is still more than capable of giving you 20 goals, 45 points, help on the power-play and adds another Stanley Cup winner to the fold.
Tolvanen is an interesting pick considering he may not be your top-six material but he's also only 27, has six-straight double digit goal seasons while also adding immense physicality with 985 hits in only 423 games - at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds. He's a solid two-way player who won't break the bank and has the highest ceiling.
It does cause some lineup issues as we don't exactly know who is pushed out. If It's someone like Kane or Tarasenko then we could see Easton Cowan dropped down to the third line to make room.
Tolvanen would be more of a middle-six option, but he and Cowan can swap up and down depending on the situation and with Toronto needing more top-six help, at least the newcomers like Colton Sissons and Nick Paul can feel safe with their spot.
It's always fun to speculate, but with John Chayka looking to make more moves before the season starts, that speculation may soon turn into something more grounded in reality.
Who do you think is the mystery forward Toronto will sign?
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