On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Craig Custance of ESPN: Looking at the offseason priorities for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1. Adding a top-four, skilled defenseman – With several players on their entry-level contracts for a couple more years and with the option of using LTIR, they should have some salary cap flexibility. The one issue they may have is that if you bring in a big, long-term contract (ie Kevin Shattenkirk) it will carry over to when they need to sign big extensions for Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, etc. The could look to trade James van Riemsdyk for a defenseman who isn’t locked up long-term.
2. Contract extension for Nikita Zaitsev – There was talk weeks ago that the Leafs and Zaitsev were close on a seven-year, $4.25 million per year deal. Focus shifted to their playoff run, but they should get the deal done quickly and focus on adding to their blueline.
3. Backup goaltender – Frederik Andersen started a career high 66 games. Curtis McElhinney is a pending unrestricted free agent. If the Leafs can find a relatively cheap upgrade, they should do it.
Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun: Defenseman Matt Hunwick (32 years old) and Roman Polak (31 years old and has a broken leg) are pending free agents. If either returns could depend on if they lose a defenseman in the expansion draft and who the Leafs may look to acquire on the blueline.
Re-signing Brian Boyle seems like it could be a priority given what he brought the team after they acquired him from Tampa.
Backup goalie Curtis McElhinney looks like a good fit behind Frederik Andersen.
They may look to replace center Ben Smith with someone else.
Pending RFAs include Zach Hyman, Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev.
Salary cap hits coming off the books include Stephane Robidas, Milan Michalek, Colin Greening and Brooks Laich.
One of Connor Carrick or Martin Marincin will be exposed for the expansion draft.
Josh Leivo or Kerby Rychel could be exposed for expansion draft. The Leafs acquired Eric Fehr from the Pittsburgh Penguins, so he may have something to do with the expansion draft.
