Not only do the Toronto Maple Leafs have tough decisions to make on the trade front in attempts to shake things up with the core, there’s also talk of what to do about their many impending unrestricted free agents.
One of the names that’s going to be debated is forward Tyler Bertuzzi. It was a tale of two seasons for Bertuzzi, where he struggled to produce offensively in the first half of the season, but picked it up in the second half. He was originally in the midst of a 19-game goalless drought before starting to find the back of the net and finish with 21 goals.
While he was able to pick it up and he was noticeable in the playoffs, re-signing him comes with some risks as you don’t know what you’re going to get. Are you going to get the Bertuzzi that was energetic and crashed the net to score goals? Or, are you going to get the one that had bad puck luck and struggled to convert on easy goals. His $5.5 million cap hit last season, doesn’t really warrant an increase as there’s more of an incentive to re-sign Max Domi.
Luckily for general manager Brad Treliving, there are some good free agent options to improve on his offense and provide that same spark and energy in the top-six.
Anthony Duclair
If the Maple Leafs want to bring in a player with the ability to provide some consistent secondary scoring, Anthony Duclair should be at the top of their list. This season while splitting time between the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning, Duclair finished with 24 goals and 42 points. THW’s own Spencer Lazary had him as a trade option and now that he’s about to hit the market, why not circle back.
Duclair can find the back of the net in many ways and plays with a great amount of speed to get around defenders easily. He isn’t the biggest player, but he has the strength to push his way through and get his opportunities. He would have that advantage over Bertuzzi instantly.
During the regular season, Duclair was in the 93rd percentile this season in terms of top skating speed and in the 89th percentile of speed bursts over 20 mph. Offensively he does a lot of his damage in front of the net or in the high danger area as 59 of his shots came from that spot, scoring 14 goals. Although Bertuzzi also made a living in that area, he lacked the speed that this team didn’t have at times. Duclair has that and even though he may not be physical, he is intense and driven.
Coming off his recent contract where his cap hit was $3 million, Duclair would definitely be an upgrade over Bertuzzi. He could get an increase of around $4 million and if you can sign him to a three-year deal, that would be something to consider to get a strong, secondary scorer on the roster. Duclair would be an ideal middle-six forward that can be a strong second or third line option that can play with pace and speed.
Jake DeBrusk
I guess we can add Jake DeBrusk to the list of opponents finding success against the Maple Leafs in the postseason. He was an underrated performer for the Boston Bruins as he had five points in the seven-game series, three points coming in Game 1. That production continued against the Florida Panthers where he has five points in five games.
There’s been an on-going issue with contract talks between DeBrusk and the Bruins. Bruins GM Don Sweeney even said in February that there is “a gap” between the two sides. With things looking dicey, the Maple Leafs should recruit a player from one of their biggest rivals who knows when to step it up during this time of the season. You see it when DeBrusk steps on the ice as he’s dialled in and can match the intensity of a game as he has 47 hits in the postseason.
Similar to Bertuzzi, DeBrusk has seen his fair share of struggles at points during the season. However, he did manage to up his production. It was a down year for him, no doubt about it. But the contract talks and lack of progress may have got to him. And while he’s productive in the postseason, his underlying numbers aren’t that strong.
If the Maple Leafs want to give him a one-year contract– similar to Bertuzzi– to see if he can prove himself, then that would probably be a good start. However, if he’s looking for a long-term deal, it may be a bit risky. Giving $5 million or more to a player who only cracked the 50-point mark once isn’t ideal. He has the physicality that the Maple Leafs need but the inconsistent production may second guess them.
Chandler Stephenson
The Vegas Golden Knights are going to be in a serious cap crunch and need to make some tough decisions. Is Shea Theodore on the trade market? Will Jonathan Marchessault or Chandler Stephenson re-sign?
The Golden Knights may want to keep Marchessault as he’s been there since the beginning. However, Stephenson could be a target on the open market as a strong veteran player with championship experience that could be a great addition for the Maple Leafs. He’s 30 years old, but he could be a strong middle-six role player that you can bring in at around his previous cap-hit of $2.75 million.
Stephenson popped off offensively the last few seasons, registering over 50 points three times and hitting the 60-point mark twice. He’s shown that he can play with highly gifted offensive players and while his goal scoring may not be there, he’s an effective, defensive-minded playmaker. He would have the ability to establish an attack with his speed, has the ability to protect the puck very well and put the puck in a great spot for his line mates. He can play on the wing or up the middle, but also play on the power play (2:53 per game in regular season) and penalty kill (1:35).
Stephenson would be a great complimentary player that can play a smart game but without losing that energy. He should definitely be on the Maple Leafs’ radar.
The Maple Leafs do have a lot of decisions to make to their roster and while defense is going to be a priority, they need to make some choices up front as well. Bertuzzi did pick things up down the stretch, but there are better options on the market that could provide more consistency at the same value in terms of a contract. Duclair, DeBrusk and Stephenson could definitely be strong fits.
Statistics from Hockey Reference and NHL EDGE.