The Toronto Maple Leafs still have holes they would like to fill, but the free agent market does not have the players capable of doing that. After winger Jack Roslovic and maybe Victor Olofsson, the list of unsigned veterans is a rather unspectacular group of forwards who might help in the Leafs bottom six, which would allow someone like Max Domi to move up to play on Auston Matthews’ wing.
Vancouver reporter Rick Dhaliwal reported on Wednesday that the Canucks have remained in contact with Roslovic’s camp, and Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects says that Roslovic’s camp is looking for a multi-year deal at just over $3 million per season. That salary demand would likely take the Leafs out of the picture unless they have a suitor for center David Kampf, who makes $2.4 million the next two seasons.
After Roslovic drops off the market, it is likely that GM Brad Treliving will continue to maintain his patient approach and wait until late August or early September to get a couple of players hungry for a one-year contract to agree to a professional tryout.
That formula worked fantastically last season with Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz. Pacioretty had an injury-shortened campaign, but was a contributor when it counted in the postseason. Lorentz was a mainstay on the Leafs fourth line and earned a three-year contract extension earlier this month.
Pacioretty is still unsigned, but Treliving indicated that he was still in contact with the veteran winger’s representatives. Players like Daniel Sprong may have been in the mix for a PTO, but chose the certainty of a guaranteed contract (Sprong signed with CSKA Moscow of the KHL on Wednesday). Names like Brett Leason, Nathan Bastian, and Luke Kunin may be intriguing possibilities, but it is likely that a few names will drop off the available list over the next four or five weeks.
