Maple Leafs' Top Free Agent Target Likely Out of Reach Due to Soaring Price Tag
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Toronto might be out of luck if they wanted to sign Sam Bennett, after one analyst speculates he may end up getting a massive payday come summer.
As the Maple Leafs shift gears from Mitch Marner to a much different looking team come 2025-26, the free agency market is expected is expected to be a key factor in shaping how the team is going to look like.
With news that Toronto won't be targeting a new Team President after Brendan Shanahan's departure, it'll be up to Craig Berube and Brad Treliving to work together and figure out who they want.
Sam Bennett A Perfect Target, But May Command Huge Price Tag
One player who they should certainly look to add is Florida's Sam Bennett. While he may draw the ire of some fans due to his style of play and what he did to Anthony Stolarz, he would be a big addition.
However, according to NHL analyst Martin Biron, that might not be feasible:
It's like real estate. How many buyers do you have? It's then a bidding war and the prices go up.
Right now, I have Sam Bennett at $7.5M-8M. He only had 50 points, the first time he ever hit that. Can he hit 60? 70? I think he can.
But what he does other than the points; the forechecking, the hitting, the plays with his stick on the defensive end, how he gets to the front of the net.
I think there are going to be 25 teams that are going to call Sam Bennett and his agent on July 1, and all of a sudden you start at $7.5M or $8M over seven years.
Then you have a team who says "I'll pay $8.5M" then another goes "I'll go $9M, $9.5M".
I don't think it will go over $10M but I would not be surprised if it's in the $9.5M range, because so many teams will be looking to add him.
Right now, I have Sam Bennett at $7.5M-8M. He only had 50 points, the first time he ever hit that. Can he hit 60? 70? I think he can.
But what he does other than the points; the forechecking, the hitting, the plays with his stick on the defensive end, how he gets to the front of the net.
I think there are going to be 25 teams that are going to call Sam Bennett and his agent on July 1, and all of a sudden you start at $7.5M or $8M over seven years.
Then you have a team who says "I'll pay $8.5M" then another goes "I'll go $9M, $9.5M".
I don't think it will go over $10M but I would not be surprised if it's in the $9.5M range, because so many teams will be looking to add him.
So what could that mean for the Maple Leafs this summer?
Sam Bennett Being Overpaid Helps Toronto's Free Agency
It means first and foremost, let whoever wants him for that, take him. There's no denying his skillset, but to pay him that much money without the huge offensive production is a bit startling.
Keep in mind, Marner is going to make $13M-14M after a 102-point season and was just coming off a near $11M deal.
If Bennett were to get $10M that would put him on the same level as teammates Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky, while also being ahead of the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Cale Makar.
Is Bennett that type of player? He certainly offers a different way of impacting the game, but not like Kucherov or Makar can.
Which is exactly why Toronto needs to let him go. They are going to have a surplus of cash sure, but there's no reason to splurge right now.
The 2026 free agency class is poised to be one of the greatest in recent memory, and if they want a real shot at Connor McDavid, they need to keep as much money held back as possible.
That goes out with a $70M deal for Bennett, and you can't argue that Bennett is a better overall player than McDavid though he's had more success.
It would be really tempting to go out and snatch up one of the players who made life miserable for you in the playoffs, but Toronto may not need to deal with him for much longer anyways.
So why not play it safe for once, and see what the future holds? For once it feels like Toronto has time and money to work with; let's just hope they manage both wisely.
| POLL | ||
MAI 23 | 736 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' Top Free Agent Target Likely Out of Reach Due to Soaring Price Tag How much money will Sam Bennett make in Free Agency? | ||
| $7M | 143 | 19.4 % |
| $8M | 274 | 37.2 % |
| $9M | 210 | 28.5 % |
| $10M+ | 109 | 14.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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