The Toronto Maple Leafs went through the opening days of free agency not adding a player who could make up for the departure of Mitch Marner. GM Brad Treliving made a move to acquire playmaking winger Matias Maccelli from Utah, but has admitted in interviews that he is likely looking to replace Marner in the aggregate, having two or three players make up for his offense.
The Leafs have added Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua to bolster and make their bottom six bigger. They may be willing to start the season giving rookie Easton Cowan or the more experienced Max Domi or Nick Robertson a chance at a top-six role, but if Treliving does not feel that either are capable of playing higher in the lineup, then an answer to their dilemma will either come from the few options left in free agency or in the trade market.
Over the last few weeks, we have looked at a few players who might be fits for one reason or another for Toronto as top six fits, but with that cupboard nearly bare except for Jack Roslovic and perhaps Victor Olofsson, we will now turn our focus towards players who could be training camp invites on professional tryout contracts (as Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz were last September) or late summer one-year deals.
Brett Leason
Leason fits all the physical criteria of a Brad Treliving signing. Originally a second-round pick of the Washington Capitals after an excellent overage year in the WHL for Prince Albert (89 regular season points, 25 postseason points), the 6’5” 220 lb. winger spent two full seasons under Spencer Carbery in AHL Hershey and split time with the Capitals in 2021-22 before being claimed off of waivers by Anaheim when Washington tried to send him down after training camp.
After an unspectacular first year with Ducks, the Calgary native scored 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 68 games and cut down his plus/minus significantly, but last season his offensive production dropped slightly to 17 points, and Anaheim did not extend a qualifying offer to Leason.
Similar to Lorentz, Leason has not compiled heavy penalty totals throughout his career, and would seemingly be a good fit to battle for a fourth line spot with free agent signee Michael Pezzetta.
