The Leafs have 8 NHL defensemen without Sandin signed; here are 3 options to uncomplicate things
After being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning in May, the Toronto Maple Leafs were heading into this summer knowing that they were likely going to lose one of Ilya Lyubushkin or Mark Giordano to free agency. It didn't take long for the Buds to make their decision, inking Gio to a two-year deal worth $800K per season back on May 22nd, which pretty much spelled the end of Lyubushkin's time in Toronto. "The Russian Bear" did indeed go to free agency, inking a deal with the Buffalo Sabres on July 13th.
Thankfully for the Buds, they aren't struggling to fill spots on the back end. Quite the opposite, actually. The Leafs currently have 8 NHL defensemen and that's not including Rasmus Sandin, who is still classified as a restricted free agent.
On the left side of the ice, the Leafs have Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Mark Giordano, Victor Mete and Jordie Benn. On the right side, the Buds have T.J. Brodie (left shot who plays the right side), Justin Holl and Timothy Liljegren. It is also worth noting that Benn and Mete can also play on the right side if need be. Once Sandin is signed, he'll be yet another stick on the left side of the ice. Quite simply, something has to give.
There are a few options available to the Leafs here. Naturally, since both Giordano and Rielly just signed extensions, it's unlikely that they're going anywhere. T.J. Brodie is probably the Leafs' most consistent defender and with his ability to play both sides, he's a very versatile veteran asset. It's unlikely that he's going anywhere. On the right, Liljegren also just inked a 2-year extension at a team-friendly $1.4M per season, so he's not likely going anywhere. Mete and Benn were both just signed via free agency, so they're not going anywhere. That leaves the Buds with 3 real options. Trade Justin Holl, trade Jake Muzzin or trade Rasmus Sandin.
It's really anyone's guess which way they're going to go here, but the easiest and most logical choice is for Kyle Dubas to move Holl in the final year of his deal. Holl carries a very modest $2M cap hit and is actually an excellent rush defender, who also performs well on the PK.
The next option is probably the least desirable one. Trade Sandin's rights. As much as it sucks to think about, the return for Sandin would certainly be the most enticing. A 22-year-old former 1st round pick who has legit top-4 potential should fetch the Leafs a premium.
The last option is the most complicated and least likely. Trading Muzzin would prove difficult because of his NTC, which he would have to waive in order to be moved. It's likely that the list of destinations he'd be willing to accept a trade to would be incredibly small and limit the Leafs' return. Given the fact that Muzzin has 2 years remaining at $5.625M per season, this move would give the Leafs the most cap flexibility, but they'd almost certainly be taking a loss on the deal.
With a month until training camp, we're not going to have to wait long now to find out what Kyle Dubas has planned - likely a Holl move, but perhaps he'll surprise us with something we didn't see coming, in true Dubas fashion.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 21 | 329 ANSWERS The Leafs have 8 NHL defensemen without Sandin signed; here are 3 options to uncomplicate things Who should the Leafs trade on the blueline? | ||
| Sandin | 52 | 15.8 % |
| Muzzin | 129 | 39.2 % |
| Holl | 148 | 45 % |
| List of polls | ||
