The first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs has officially come to an end. With the second round beginning and the draft lottery finished (let’s go), many will start to look towards the offseason. After the NHL Draft, free agency will open on July 1. This will allow the Leafs to examine the open market and try to bolster their roster.
The Leafs are coming off a disappointing season that really had few positives. This team missed the playoffs for the first time in Auston Matthews’ career and looked awful at the end of the year. What do the Leafs need to do this offseason to get back on track? Let’s take a look at some UFA’s they should target this summer.
Darren Raddysh, Defenceman
One of the top names floating around that many believe the Leafs should target is defenceman Darren Raddysh. The current Tampa Bay Lightning is coming off a career breakout season, which saw him emerge as a top-scoring defenceman. One could argue that he was the best scoring defenceman this season, as he was tied for the league lead in goals by defencemen with Zach Werenski. His 70-point season easily makes him one of the top free agents available.
Pursuing Raddysh makes perfect sense for the Leafs. He is an offensive defenceman with one of the best slapshots in the league. That is something that the Leafs desperately lack, as Morgan Rielly has certainly seen better offensive seasons. Outside of Rielly, the only defenceman to provide a bit of offence is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, whom I think the Leafs should move on from.
Alongside OEL, I think the Leafs should try to move on from Brandon Carlo. He is slow and fairly useless for the Leafs and can easily be replaced. This team needs more star power like Raddysh, and his offensive mindset could seriously assist the power play. The Leafs’ power play was the definition of mediocre this year, at 21.3%, good enough for 15th in the league.
Do you think the Leafs should pursue Raddysh?
Rasmus Andersson, Defenceman
Another defensive piece that I could see the Leafs pursuing is Rasmus Andersson. The Swedish defenceman is certainly a step down from Raddysh, but I still think he can be more servicable than a guy like Carlo. Andersson can provide some offensive pop alongside acceptable defensive coverage. The defenceman is currently in the midst of a playoff run with the Vegas Golden Knights, who are taking on the Anaheim Ducks in round two.
Andersson is most known for his time with the Calgary Flames. He spent parts of 10 years with the franchise and was fairly consistent. He was traded to the Golden Knights in January and has been an impactful piece of their playoff run. I think that Andersson is a good choice for the Leafs as he is cheaper than Raddysh and has been linked to the team in the past.
Andersson is in the final season of a six-year deal, making an annual salary of $4.55M a season. He is 29 years old and is on the back end of his prime seasons. I do think the Leafs should at least consider signing Andersson, as a four-year deal with an average salary of $6M would be good.
Mason Marchment, Left Winger
A forward I think the Leafs should look at is Mason Marchment. The veteran player is coming off a strong season as a Columbus Blue Jacket and is a solid power forward. I think the Leafs need a tough guy for their team, as they really lacked strength this past season. Marchment is one of the best options in free agency, in my opinion. I would choose him over a guy like Evander Kane.
Through 39 games with the Blue Jackets, Marchment recorded 15 goals and 32 points. He had a slow start with the Seattle Kraken, but really popped off after his trade. Marchment is a known tough guy in the NHL who has been known to throw some cheap shots. Even with his dirty play, I think the Leafs need more grit, and Marchment brings that.
With this signing, I do think the Leafs should move on from at least one middle-six forward. I think Max Domi’s time with the Leafs should be over, as he is a worse Marchment who can be replaced. Marchment can probably be signed for around $4-5M a season. I think a good deal would be one or two years at that price.
Boone Jenner, Centreman
Lastly, I think the Leafs should look for another centreman. With a potential Max Domi trade creating space (I really think that needs to be done), this opens a door to acquire a new depth centre. I think Boone Jenner fits that replacement role perfectly. He has played with the Columbus Blue Jackets his whole career and must have at least some interest in exploring the open market.
Jenner could slide in perfectly on the third line and be a crucial player in the lineup. He can help kill penalties as well as play some secondary power play minutes. Jenner is also a solid face-off guy who wins over 52% of his draws almost every season. The Leafs finished in third place for face-off percentage, which I think is an underrated stat. This must continue next season.
Overall, I do not think Jenner would cost much either. At 33 years of age in June, I think signing him to a two or three-year deal around $4M makes sense. The Leafs could use a replacement for Scott Laughton (potentially Domi as well), and I think Jenner can help provide that, assuming they plan on winning next year.
All of these signings will help make the Leafs a more balanced team. Is their winning window still open? Or did that go completely out the door when Mitch Marner walked?
