Luke Fox of Sportsnet: (mailbag) The Toronto Maple Leafs main offseason priority should be to find a top-four right-handed defenseman. Finding a No. 3 center should be their next priority after a defenseman.
Both Alexander Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall struggled in the faceoff circle this past season. If they re-sign Jason Spezza, they may not want to give him that much ice-time on the third-line.
Nashville Predators center Nick Bonino at $4.1 million would definitely be an upgrade, but the money may not work for the Maple Leafs and would the Predators even want to trade him? The Preds may not be able to retain any money. The Leafs may not want to offer up enough to rent him for the year.
Leafs GM Dubas could look to go the short-term free agent and could look at Joe Thornton, Derick Brassard, Nate Thompson, Brad Richardson, and Greg McKegg.
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: (mailbag) Nick Robertson will be one of the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff callups, but he’s going to have to earn a lineup spot. Jason Spezza’s experience and being a centerman should keep him in the lineup. Pierre Engvall is good on the penalty kill. It’s possible Spezza and Frederik Gauthier could platoon.
Both Denis Malgin and Gauthier are pending restricted free agents with arbitration rights. Gauthier made $675,000 this past season and could get a bit of raise. The Maple Leafs have a collection of forwards at under a $1 million so Malgin may only be brought back if he takes a two-way deal.
The odds are small that the Maple Leafs would bring in Judd Brackett or Mike Futa. Brackett could fit in with Seattle, Buffalo or New Jersey. Futa may be looking to be a GM if a position somewhere opened up. He’s interviewed with the Sabres and Hurricanes in the past and reportedly turned down the Hurricanes job.
