TORONTO — Change is coming.
The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ off-season has begun.
While the fate of the 12(!) impending free agents on the club’s roster will be influenced by higher priorities — i.e. what happens with Mitch Marner — and who else becomes available on the trade and free-agent markets over the next several weeks, it’s worth taking a peek at where things stand with the Maple Leafs whose current contracts expire on June 30.
(Note: Player-turned-scout Jake Muzzin, rehabilitated goaltender Matt Murray, and offensive defenceman John Klingberg will all be coming off the books as well and, thus, no longer sapping the Leafs’ LTIR space.)
Here’s a rundown of where things stand with all of Toronto’s impending free agents and our (early) sense of what their futures may hold.
UFAs
Tyler Bertuzzi ($5.5 million cap hit in 2023-24): Bertuzzi was searching for term as a UFA last summer before settling on his one-year rental contract in Toronto.
And although he was slow to find chemistry and the back of the net, the fearless winger peaked at the perfect time, delivered on the snot, and was one of the Leafs’ best forwards in the post-season. (His four points co-led the team.)
Moreover, the 29-year-old has never been so healthy; his 80 games played set a career high.
“It was just a great year,” Bertuzzi said as he cleaned out his locker. “I got better as the season went on. Just trying to get acclimated in a new spot. Eventually I turned my game around and thought I did a good job at playing my game.”
How badly would Bertuzzi like to re-sign in Toronto?
“That’s definitely something I’m open to,” Bertuzzi replied. “Coming into a new place, especially Toronto, it’s not easy. It took me a little bit on the ice to get going. But off the ice, the guys were great. Everything was top notch. Me and my family really enjoyed our time here.”
Our hunch: Bertuzzi signs a bigger deal elsewhere, as the Leafs spend their UFA dollars on D-men and bet on left wing Matthew Knies taking on more minutes.
Max Domi ($3 million cap hit in 2023-24): Wearing the logo his father made proud was a dream of Domi’s. His playmaking and offensive versatility were a welcome addition, particularly when Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner went down to injury, and the 29-year-old says he “enjoyed every second” of life as a Leaf.
No pending UFA who can play centre registered more assists (38) than Domi this season.
“Do I want to come back? Absolutely. I think this team has everything it takes to do something special, and I would love to help them do that,” Domi said Monday.
“But that’s obviously beyond my control, so I leave that up to my agent and management here and go from there. But I’ve got nothing but great things to say about this group of guys in here and the organization as a whole.”
Domi’s previous two contracts were one-year pacts; the two before that were only for two years. Does he want some term on his next deal?
“All that stuff is over my head. So, whatever happens is out of my control,” Domi said.
Uh, he’s a free agent. He literally has some control in this decision.
Ilya Samsonov ($3.55 million cap hit in 2023-24): Here’s a fun fact. Among all pending UFA goalies, only one had more wins (27) than the adventure that was Samsonov (23). That would be L.A.’s Cam Talbot, who is nine years older than the affable Russian.
“I need to play better, and this is true,” said Samsonov, a rare Leaf who took accountability for his own play following Game 7’s disappointment. “I need to be better for this team and in this series.”
What is Samsonov’s greatest priority in free agency?
“You guys know my answer, yeah? I love this city. I love everybody on this team. But I never know. If it’s serious, I didn’t talk about this with my agents because we just get some time for rest my mind. If we get some more chance to come to this locker room and just put on this jersey, I will be happy,” he said.
Samsonov has completed two one-year deals with Toronto, and the Maple Leafs have completed their commitment to him. He’ll be searching for a two- or three-year contract on the open market.
“I want to get some more stability,” he said. “This will be good for my family.”
T.J. Brodie ($5 million cap hit in 2023-24): This will be the second summer that Treliving lets Brodie walk out the door. He did it in Calgary, now he’ll do it in Toronto.
The GM never seriously entertained extension talks with the 34-year-old defenceman, who slid from the top pair to a healthy scratch over the course of his most troubling campaign.
Still, Brodie rates fifth among all pending UFAs in average ice time (21:43). A lower salary, a lessened role, a fresh city, and he could be worth a one-year flyer.
Joel Edmundson ($3.5 million cap hit in 2023-24): It’s all about price, not fit, for the ring-bearing Edmundson.
Clearly, the veteran’s size and nasty style of play is right up Treliving’s alley.
But with his salary retained twice over, the Leafs were getting the services of a $3.5-million third-pair guy for a tidy $875,000 against their cap.
“I was always curious of what kind of dressing room it was,” Edmundson says. “For me, coming in three quarters of the way through the year, they made me feel really welcome. And it’s a great locker room. Everyone’s really tight.
“You never know when you have guys making the big money — they might do their own thing. But, no, it’s definitely a family in this dressing room.”
Edmundson enjoyed his time. Toronto fans enjoyed seeing him clear the crease and lay the lumber.
Mark Giordano ($800,000 cap hit in 2023-24): We couldn’t be more thrilled that Giordano achieved his goal of playing NHL games into his forties and recovered from his mid-season concussion in time to score a goal for Dad.
The former Norris champ was the eighth defenceman on a team that failed to survive Round 1. We suspect he hangs up his golden shinpads and the NHL becomes a worse place without him.
Ilya Lyubushkin ($2.75 million cap hit in 2023-24): Considering salary-retained rental Lyubushkin only cost $687,500 against Toronto’s cap, he was incredible value.
The Boosh — a physical, stay-at-home righty — led all Maple Leafs in the playoffs with a plus-4 rating and co-led the club with three assists. Teammates love the guy, but in a UFA market thin on right defencemen, 30-year-old Lyubushkin won’t have to take a pay cut.
Remember: Justin Holl, who was a year older than Lyubushkin when he hit the market last summer, got three years at $3.4 million from Detroit.
Is Lyubushkin a top-pair D-man on a contender? Nope.
For the right price, could he serve a role on this roster? Absolutely.
Martin Jones ($875,000 cap hit in 2023-24): The 34-year-old filled a clutch regular-season role, pitching 11 wins in relief when the Leafs were leaning hard on goaltending depth and their playoff position was yet to be secured. A shrewd pickup by Treliving.
If Jones is willing to accept a similar one-year deal, bring him back. Otherwise, scour the market for a suitable replacement. League-wide, 2023-24 reinforced the need for keeping three capable goalies in the system.
RFAs
Timothy Liljegren ($1.4 million cap hit in 2023-24): Management must decide how much more to invest in a drafted-and-developed defenceman who has shown more hope and promise than clutch highlights and consistency.
Liljegren’s right shot will always be of benefit. He’s 25 years old, and the idea that he may never crack the top four is settling in. Toronto’s 2017 first-round pick was scratched, for Brodie, one game into the Bruins series.
Don’t expect a long-term commitment here; it’s either another bridge deal or trade calls.
Connor Dewar ($800,000 cap hit in 2023-24): Minnesota made Dewar available at the trade deadline because GM Bill Guerin had no intention of re-signing the scrappy defensive forward this summer, when he’ll earn arbitration rights. Dewar understands his role.
The scrappy Dewar’s penalty-killing ability and straight-line mindset were a nice fit at the bottom of the lineup. Worth keeping on a one- or two-year extension.
Nick Robertson ($796,667 cap hit in 2023-24): Unlike fellow RFAs Simon Benoit and Bobby McMann, Treliving didn’t initiate serious extension talks with Robertson’s agent in-season.
“I want to play and let him worry about that,” Robertson said in April, before the playoffs began. “That’s something that I’m gonna figure out, how I take it during the summer. I’ll want to know what will be going on.”
Popping in and out of the lineup, Robertson upped his value by staying healthy and ripping 14 goals and 27 points in limited minutes spread over 56 games.
The 22-year-old has no arbitration rights coming out of his entry-level deal and his body of NHL work is still small. Expect Treliving to push for a modest raise on a bridge deal.
Noah Gregor ($775,000 cap hit in 2023-24): Arriving in Toronto as Treliving’s lone handpicked tryout candidate, Gregor won a job out of camp and helped push the competition at the bottom of the lineup. Keefe turned to the fourth-line speedster — over tone-setter Ryan Reaves — late in the Bruins series.
Gregor holds arbitration rights and is a fine depth option if he’s willing to re-sign for similar term and money. Otherwise, Toronto’s pro scouts need to uncover the next Gregor on the open market.
