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.
Mason Marchment
Unlike the two previous players mentioned as possible offseason targets, Marchment is not an unrestricted free agent, but could be just as available since his name is reportedly out there as a potential cap casualty of the Dallas Stars, who are looking to open up cap space to retain veterans such as Mikael Granlund, Jamie Benn, and Cody Ceci. The likelihood of the Uxbridge, ON native being on the market increased on Thursday, after the Stars extended veteran forward Matt Duchene on a four-year, $18 million deal.
The big 30-year-old was one of the more puzzling moves made by former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who signed him to an AHL deal. The 6’5”, 212 lb winger was part of their 2018 Calder Cup Toronto Marlies championship squad, but puzzlingly was traded to Florida in February 2020 for forward Denis Malgin after playing just four NHL games with Toronto.
Marchment broke out in his contract year with the Panthers, scoring 18 goals in 54 games, and signed a four-year, $18 million deal in Dallas. He has scored 22 goals each of the last two seasons and with one year left on that deal and GM Jim Nill looking for cap relief, the big winger would seemingly be a fit with the Leafs. One possibility that would open up space for Dallas and give GM Brad Treliving a way to acquire Marchment at an acceptable cost could be a swap involving winger Nick Robertson, who is a restricted free agent, but would give the Stars someone who could score goals and a chance to play with his brother Jason.
