According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering some left-wing options as training camp approaches.
Friedman recently released a summer version of his 32 Thoughts blog and while the details were limited, it’s certainly sparking some interest around Leafs land.
“I think there are things percolating out there, including Toronto considering left-wing options,” Friedman wrote.
Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has been busy this offseason with most of his attention situated towards reshaping the defense core with the additions of Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Treliving also shored up Toronto’s goaltending depth by bringing back Matt Murray and adding free-agent netminder Anthony Stolarz on a multi-year contract.
Toronto lost left-winger Tyler Bertuzzi, after he signed a long-term contract with the Chicago Blackhawks to open free agency and Treliving also has yet to come to terms with restricted free-agent forward Nick Robertson, who is reportedly not interested in re-signing with the team. Adding another winger for training camp makes a ton of sense from a depth perspective for the Maple Leafs.
Free-agent forward market isn’t loaded with options
Let’s dive into what options are available for Treliving and company.
Former Maple Leaf James van Riemsdyk is left unsigned after the 35-year-old veteran recorded 38 points in 71 games last season with the Boston Bruins. JVR is someone who could potentially provide some secondary scoring for the Leafs and has a history of being a top-six forward. As he enters his age-36 season, can he be counted on to play top-six minutes next season? His game isn’t suited for a checking role so it doesn’t make a ton of sense to add van Riemsdyk unless he’s playing on the second line and receiving some run on the second power play.
The upside to signing JVR or inviting him to training camp on a professional tryout agreement is that it could be a low-cost addition with some offensive upside. He knows what to expect and a lot of his game is about creating some traffic in front of the net, a role that could be available, especially on the second power play unit. Treliving has just $1.2 million in cap space available with September approaching and with Robertson’s future up in the air, there are certainly several variables floating around influencing Treliving’s decision making.
Another option at left wing could be Max Pacioretty. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli recently stated Pacioretty had a few ‘firm’ offers he was considering and it appears a decision could be looming. Pacioretty is known to Leafs fans after spending a decade with the Montreal Canadiens organization. Like JVR, Pacioretty is a veteran, who turns 36 one month into the 2024-25 season. He spent last season with the Washington Capitals, recording four goals and 25 points in 47 games. Pacioretty has dealt with some serious injuries the past couple of seasons. If he’s healthy and available, could be another veteran who could push for a job at training camp and wind up among the Leafs top three lines.
Pacioretty has 78 games of playoff experience under his belt, and has performed well, tallying 50 points along the way. He’s played in high-pressure markets before, and is someone who wouldn’t have any issues transitioning to the media-circus Maple Leafs.
Mike Hoffman is another free-agent to list, but again, some may worry about the fit here. Hoffman’s a shooter, he’s shown in the past he can light up the scoresheet in a hurry but the only issue is the fact his production has dropped off as he’s aged. Hoffman turns 35 in November. He spent last season with the dismal San Jose Sharks, scoring 10 goals and 23 points and to his credit, has hit double-digits in goals 10 seasons in a row. This is another case where being in a proper situation on the depth chart could really go a long way for the type of production the Leafs were to get out of the player.
Kailer Yamamoto is an intriguing free agent option. The former Edmonton Oilers’ 2017 first-round draft pick spent last season with the Seattle Kraken where he collected 16 points in 59 games. He’s undersized at 5-foot-8 and is once again someone the Leafs could turn to for an offensive role but his game doesn’t suit a checking role to maximize his production. If it’s a PTO with no risk, perhaps Treliving considers, however there’s been some talks that he could wind up signing a tryout with the Boston Bruins.
Dominik Kubalik is another potential option. The 29-year-old winger is someone we’ve showcased this summer previously as an option for the Maple Leafs. Kubalik scored 11 goals in 74 games last season with the Ottawa Senators and still sits without an NHL contract with a month until training camp.
Kubalik has scored 20 goals in two of his five NHL careers, with most recently doing so in 2022-23 with the Detroit Red Wings. It was a bad season with Ottawa last year and he’s likely motivated and hungry to prove himself and rejuvenate his NHL career after scoring 30 goals as a rookie with the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s an interesting option for Treliving to consider as he likely has the most upside of any free-agent winger.
Ideally, Treliving can create as much internal competition as possible at training camp and after Friedman’s recent report, it’s becoming quite obvious the Maple Leafs GM isn’t finished tinkering with the roster. The Robertson trade request hangs high over the team. If he ends up getting traded and a winger doesn’t come back the other way, there’s another hole to fill.
The likes of Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann, Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, Connor Dewar, Alex Nylander, and Alex Steeves are all going to be battling for left-wing slots. Max Domi and Pontus Holmberg could wind up playing on the wing as well. It will be interesting to see how head coach Craig Berube sets up his lineup and what type of role he expects each trio to play for the hockey club.
It’s obvious the free-agent options are limited this late into the offseason, so don’t rule out Treliving making a trade to bring in someone with experience who can push for a middle-six role. Berube wants to outwork teams each and every game, so anyone Treliving adds must have a tremendous work ethic and be willing to fight for a job.
The Maple Leafs are in good shape with their NHL roster and with only a few holes left to fill, Treliving should be able to round out his roster in the next week or so, and set up what should be a very intense and competitive Berube-run training camp in Toronto.
