Shayna Goldman of The Athletic: Now, July 1st rapidly approaches which means teams can start to talk to the 2024 crop of free agents. The E word known as extension becomes a buzzword.
Auston Matthews is the headline case here. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward projects to see a next contract with at least a $13 million AAV if not more. The problem with a shorter deal is an AAV could trend close to $15 million. Toronto has other players to sign like William Nylander. Expect Nylander to see a nice raise.
Mike McKenna of Daily Faceoff: McKenna looks at what the Toronto Maple Leafs could do with their goalies next season and there will be a couple of familiar faces in between the pipes.
While everyone expects the Maple Leafs to upgrade their goaltending, McKenna feels Joseph Woll and Ilya Samsonov are an excellent duo. With Woll having to clear waivers to go to the AHL, there is a risk they could lose him to a team that needs a goalie as he is proven he is ready for the NHL.
So keeping Woll makes sense. What to do with Samsonov and Murray. McKenna writes the Leafs should sign Samsonov to a short-term deal that does not break the bank. Then there is Murray who could be put in the minors, but that does not help the Leafs cap situation. McKenna wonders if there is a trade partner for the Leafs or if some team will actually claim him.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of offseason question marks. Outside of the obvious of re-signing Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs still have to figure out the rest of the roster. One player who made an impact for them was Ryan O’Reilly.
However, with the Maple Leafs needing to clear cap space and other pressing needs is there a way the Maple Leafs and the O’Reilly camp can work something out?
Could Toronto and Ryan O’Reilly Make A Deal Work?
TSN: Mike Johnson joined First Up on TSN Radio and was asked if there was a fair deal that could work to keep Ryan O’Reilly with the Toronto Maple Leafs:
Aaron Korolnek: What you do think a fair number would be team and player and therm as well Mike (Johnson) for (Ryan) O’Reilly to stay in Toronto? Do you think there is there a way that it could work?
Mike Johnson: “Well Toronto has a lot of money available to them so what would be fair to both parties? I would imagine Ryan O’Reilly, who is 32 years of age, turning 33, he had a good year with 30 points in 53 games with 16 goals. Basically a point per game.
In Toronto for all the intangibles, three years would be fair for O’Reilly, and probably $15 million, $5 million a season. Something like that. If you can get him under five, that would be good, he can push five if you wanted to. He is coming off $7.5 million, I think 15 for three would be reasonable for Ryan O’Reilly.
You love him and everything he does, but Toronto has so many needs. It is tough to load up on $5-6 million players. The Leafs have five to six forwards signed for next year plus you have to sign seven forwards and we like to change our defence back there that means spending a little money on it.
As great as he has been you wonder if he is secondary on the priority list behind revamping the defence and then get to O’Reilly and then you get to your depth forwards. So it is tricky, but somewhere in that range would make sense.”
David Alter of The Hockey News: Newly named Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has had a big to-do list since taking over from Kyle Dubas. So far, one thing he hasn’t gotten to is talking to pending UFA Michael Bunting according to his agent Paul Capizzano.
“I have not heard from Brad Treliving or had any discussions regarding Michael Bunting as of today,”
Bunting said that there end of season meetings that there had been any contract talks during the season.
Meeting with Auston Matthews is Treliving’s top priority, with Sheldon Keefe being another. Shane Doan was just hired as an assistant GM. Treliving has spoken with pending UFA Luke Schenn.
The Maple Leafs have just over $9 million in projected salary cap space with 15 players under contract. If Jake Muzzin gets LTIR’d they’ll have an extra $5.625 million. Can they find anyone willing to take on Matt Murray‘s $4.875 million?
Bunting may have priced himself out of Toronto, especially if using Andrea Athanansiou’s two-year, $8.5 million extension.
