The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to likely be exclusively in the free agent market for forwards this summer, with the departure of Mitch Marner to parts unknown and the possibility of bottom-sixers like David Kampf, Nick Robertson, Ryan Reaves, and Calle Jarnkrok, as well as the uncertain status of pending UFA’s John Tavares and Steven Lorentz.
There is an expectation that GM Brad Treliving will be able to get a deal done with Tavares — who scored 38 goals last season — and Lorentz, who was a consistent performer on the Leafs fourth line, but it will be up to Treliving to find cost-effective additions in the bottom half of Toronto’s forward complement that will enable him to spend bigger money to replace Marner in the top-six.
Over the next few weeks leading up to July 1, we will take a look at a few players who might be fits for one reason or another for Toronto.
Brandon Tanev
Tanev is the definition of low-hanging fruit for those prognosticating what the Leafs will target in free agency, but it has more to do than him just being Chris Tanev’s brother. The 33-year-old is the definition of a high-motor hockey player who will do what it takes to win. The veteran winger started his career with Winnipeg and was re-acquired by the Jets at the trade deadline after spending two seasons with Pittsburgh and the last four seasons with Seattle.
The Toronto native is not dynamic offensively (10 goals in 79 games last season), but distributes hits consistently, and like his brother, blocks shots. He is also an excellent penalty killer, something that the Leafs will need, since Marner will likely not be back and Kampf could be on the move. The only question involving the younger Tanev is what his price point will be. He signed a six-year, $21 million deal with Pittsburgh in 2019, and he never really produced what was expected from someone who had a $3.5 million cap hit.
What the Leafs will rely on is Tanev’s desire to play alongside his brother and to take less to play in his hometown. There will likely be significant interest in a forward with his attributes, and if Toronto wants to add him to the fold, they will have to give him a respectable offer, but it likely will not be the highest offer.
