Benn, Mete give the Leafs 9 NHL defenders; Kyle Dubas could be working to clear HUGE money for a substantial add
Late Thursday evening, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas put the finishing touches on new 1-year deals for two defensemen who shoot left, but who can play the right side, in 24-year-old Victor Mete and 34-year-old Jordie Benn. Both deals are one-year pacts worth the league minimum $750K.
There has been a lot of speculation over what the two contract signings meant for the Buds. Most seemed to believe that Mete and Benn had been brought in to fill a couple of roster spots with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, thanks to the departures of Chad Krys, Joseph Duszak and Kristians Rubins. However, that may not be the case.
Jordie Benn last played an AHL game in 2013, for the Texas Stars, during his time with the Dallas Stars organization. The following season, Benn became a full-time NHLer and has not played a single game in the AHL since. As for Mete, he has played a total of 7 AHL games, all in the 2018-19 season. Like Benn, Mete has not played another game in the AHL since starting the following year in the NHL.
So, what are the Leafs planning here? They currently have 8 NHL defensemen on the roster who are signed through next season.. 9 if you include RFA Rasmus Sandin, who seems likely to get done after not signing an offer sheet 3 days into free agency. Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a trade is coming.
Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is quoted on day one of free agency as saying that he prefers Rasmus Sandin on his strong side (left). The left side in Toronto currently has Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Mark Giordano ahead of him on the depth chart. Rielly is in the 1st year of an 8-year deal worth $7.5M per season. Giordano just signed a two-year extension worth $800K per season. The likely candidate to move on that side would appear to be Muzzin, who has 2 years remaining on his current contract, which carries a $5.625M cap hit.
In addition, Justin Holl is signed through this season at $2M, and with a veteran like Jordie Benn coming in, who does have some experience playing on that right side, it would appear as though Holl's deal will likely be moved as well, clearing up an additional $1.25M (Holl's $2M, minus the $750K of Benn's deal, which would impact the Leafs' roster, even if he's the 7th defenseman).
If Holl and Muzzin are moved, it could clear up as much as $6.125M to add to the Leafs' current $2.06M in available cap space, totaling $8.18M. If we assume that Sandin will come in somewhere in the same range that Timothy Liljegren came in ($1.4M per season on a short term deal), that would leave the Buds with around $6.78M to secure a top 6 winger, get Pierre Engvall locked up and secure one more depth forward. That amount can be increased by moving the final year of Alexander Kerfoot's deal ($3.5M AAV).
Obviously, until the Muzzin and Holl moves are completed, we can't be sure of anything, but that's the way things seem to be trending for the Buds. Kyle Dubas could be up to something big. Perhaps even much bigger than anyone expects.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 15 | 760 ANSWERS Benn, Mete give the Leafs 9 NHL defenders; Kyle Dubas could be working to clear HUGE money for a substantial add Will the Leafs be moving on from Jake Muzzin this summer to make room for Rasmus Sandin on the left side? | ||
| Yes | 588 | 77.4 % |
| No | 172 | 22.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
