“Key Players Toronto Maple Leafs Should Extend Contracts for in the Upcoming Offseason
By Stephen Nixon | May 19, 2024
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a series of adjustments ahead, yet amid these changes, there are several impending free agents the team ought to retain.
Under Kyle Dubas’s tenure, the Maple Leafs excelled in navigating free agency. They demonstrated adeptness in securing players at reasonable rates, avoiding overpayments, and adeptly replacing departing talent. While the decision to let Zach Hyman depart may have sparked debate, the acquisition of Michael Bunting at a fraction of the cost validated their strategy. Despite Hyman’s potential as a prolific goal scorer with his bargain contract, the Leafs opted for a cost-effective alternative in Bunting, a player capable of notching 20-plus goals and 60 points for significantly less.
Under the current management led by GM Brad Treliving, however, the team made significant missteps, squandering $15M on contracts for Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves, David Kampf, and John Klingberg. This imprudent spending underscores the importance of making wiser financial decisions in the upcoming offseason, though past patterns suggest a recurrence of such errors is probable.
That said, amidst the roster evaluations, there are numerous impending free agents the Leafs should allow to depart, as outlined in detail. Nonetheless, there are three players whom the team should prioritize re-signing in the forthcoming offseason.”
