Several Key Members of the Maple Leafs are Now Eligible for Contract Extensions

According to the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, any player on a one-year deal will be eligible for a contract extension once the new year kicks in on January 1st.

With that, the 6 members of the Toronto Maple Leafs who agreed to one-year deals heading into 2024-25 are now eligible for extensions with the calendar flipping to January 1st, as reported by David Alter of The Hockey News.

Those 6 players include: Steven Lorentz, Max Pacioretty, Connor Dewar, Nick Robertson, Philippe Myers, and Jani Hakanpaa. While all of them are eligible, it doesn't necessarily mean the Maple Leafs will pursue extensions for each of them.

There are a few players like Lorentz, Pacioretty, and Myers that have shown enough mettle on the ice that would merit an extension.

Lorentz is one of just 4 players to have played in all 38 contests to date. He has stabilized the bottom-6 in Toronto, is still relatively young at 28 years-of-age, and comes in at a low cost considering everything he does without the puck.

At just $775,000 this year, a minor increase to $1 million dollars wouldn't be egregious for either side, and it already sounds like they could be working on a deal.

Pacioretty is an interesting case because, when he's been in the lineup, he's done well in all facets of the game. However, he's sustained a few injuries already and has played in only 25 games this season. Nevertheless, he hasn't looked out of place in the top-6 and should he wish to come back at a similar rate, the Maple Leafs should be all over it.

Myers might be a surprise addition, but NHL insider Kevin Weekes made mention over the weekend that both sides were looking at an extension.

The 27-year-old would add size and speed to the back-end, he's a right-handed shot, and has done very well under Craig Berube, all things considered.

As for the remaining trio, it's hard to tell when it comes to Dewar and Robertson, considering both will be RFAs, and neither player has necessarily wowed in their current roles.

The wait-and-see approach is most likely the scenario with more pressing issues ahead like the extensions for Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and the aforementioned trio of UFAs.

Hakanpaa, on paper, seems like a perfect fit for Berube. However, through all the injuries, he's only suited up twice, and there still remains no concrete timetable for his return. The Maple Leafs can place him in the same wait-and-see category, but at this rate, it seems unlikely barring a monumental second half.

They all have something to play for as the second half of the 2024-25 season nears, and their first chance comes tomorrow night when the Maple Leafs finish out their 3-game season series with the New York Islanders on Long Island.