Toronto Maple Leafs: Number of contracts limits team’s flexibility
By Omar L
The number of contracts the Toronto Maple Leafs have may not be a huge problem right now, but it is something that should be addressed going forward.
The number of contracts a team has signed isn’t something the average hockey fan pays attention to. It isn’t a major issue, but getting that number close to the maximum of 50 could cost you flexibility. The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of those teams that are getting close to the max.
The Leafs currently sit at 48 contracts after free agency after resigning Zach Hyman to a four-year deal. We can expect that number to be 49 in the near future once Connor Brown is extended. Therefore, the Leafs can only take on one more contract which most likely is reserved for Timothy Liljegren’s entry-level deal.
This is a problem. Say for example one of the invitees from development camp impresses the organization like how Trevor Moore did last year. What if a college free agent becomes available? Maybe a PTO during training camp will be worth signing? By being close to that maximum number, the Leafs lose their ability to add further pieces to the organization for the time being.
There are ways to by-pass this. The Leafs have had a knack lately of signing players to AHL deals instead of NHL ones. Rich Clune did this during the 2015-2016 season and was eventually given an NHL deal once there was space for him.
Another way, which the Leafs would most likely do, is make a trade that is strictly to clear contracts. During training camp of the 2015-2016 season, the Leafs completed a five-for-one trade with the New York Islanders. Toronto acquired Michael Grabner for Taylor Beck, Carter Verhaeghe, Matt Finn, Tom Nilsson, and Christopher Gibson.
On the surface, the Leafs were acquiring one of the fastest skaters in the league who would be a stop-gap in a tank year. What management actually did was clear four contracts going from a total of 49 to 45. You’d have to think a deal like that is coming soon.
Moving Nathan Horton or Joffrey Lupul may make sense, but they provide the benefit in supplying cap space via LTIR. Eric Fehr, Ben Smith, Martin Marincin, and Alexey Marchenko could be contracts the Leafs try to rid themselves of. Additionally, Rinat Valiev and/or Tobias Lindberg could be options as well since they have fallen down the organizational depth chart.
Leafs management always speaks of their willingness to add to the team if the opportunity presents itself. It will be hard to do that if they remain so close to the max, and it would be a shame for them to miss out on a player that they could add because they are unable to fit their contract in. We’re currently in the slow days of the offseason, but fans should expect the Leafs to lighten things up with a trade soon.
Next: Waiver impact on the line-up
Do the number of contracts the Leafs have concern you? If a trade will be made to get rid of contracts, who would you like to see be moved? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!