As with most summers, the Toronto Maple Leafs are at the center of rumors regarding unrestricted free agents and that speculation has already started in reference to Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny.
The 28-year-old son of Hall of Fame great Peter Stastny is coming off a solid year (25 goals, 35 assists in 71 games) with the upstart Avalanche after a career-worst 24 points in the lockout shortened 2013 season. Stastny also made Team USA in Sochi and scored 10 points in the club’s first round loss to Minnesota, which should only increase his asking price.
According to
the Denver Post’s Adrian Dater contract talks will begin soon between Stastny's representatives and the Avs and it is expected that the six-time 20 goal scorer will be looking for a seven or eight-year extension close to the $6.6 Million salary he made on his last contract.
The Leafs might be a destination acceptable to Stastny, with Team USA members Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk as potential linemates and fellow University of Denver alum Tyler Bozak on the club, but it will be near impossible to get arguably the best forward on the free agent market this July to take a reasonable price and term in with suitors like Nashville and St. Louis willing to pay as much or more than Toronto for his services.
It is very possible that the Stastny talk is being made public as a way of get the asking price for free agent center Dave Bolland down to a more reasonable amount from the reported $5 Million per year asking price. While Stastny has the offensive ability to play a top-six role up the middle, he does not offer a significant upgrade defensively over Bolland(if fully recovered from his ankle injury).
Stastny could be amenable to re-signing with Colorado if they give him the term he desires, but it is unlikely that Joe Sakic, Greg Sherman and Patrick Roy will give him more annually than the $6 Million that top center Matt Duchene will begin making on his new deal next season.
What might be of keen interest to the Leafs is what the Avs do with RFA Ryan O’Reilly if they re-sign Stastny. The 23-year-old Clinton, ON native signed a two-year offer sheet with Calgary in February, 2013 that was matched by Colorado almost immediately.
O’Reilly posted a career high 64 points and was nominated for the Lady Byng playing the wing with Duchene, but is again a restricted free agent this summer and will have to be qualified at $6.5 Million to retain his rights. With Duchene, likely Calder Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and Stastny returning up the middle, O’Reilly could be moved to address the club’s blueline, which proved to be their Achilles heel after the loss of defenseman Tyson Barrie in the playoffs.
*******
Defenseman Korbinian Holzer is hoping to get another chance in the NHL after putting together a solid 2013-14 season with the Toronto Marlies.
The 26-year-old German-born blueliner scored the final goal in Toronto’s series-clinching game against the Chicago Wolves on Friday and his experience and role as a shutdown defenseman been an integral part of the Marlies regular and post-season success.
“It gives you confidence, you want to be that guy out there to protect the lead,” Holzer told
Kyle Cicerella of Canadian Press. “I’m happy that the coaches have that trust in me.”
The 6’3” 205 lb defenseman was told after his 22 game stint with the Maple Leafs by coach Randy Carlyle that if he would have to work on his gap control if he wanted to make it back to the big leagues; a problem that has been rectified according to Marlies coach Steve Spott.
Holzer cleared waivers after not making the Leafs last September and has one year remaining on a two-year, $1.575 Million deal. If the Marlies continue to advance in the Calder Cup playoffs, it only increases the chances that another NHL team would put in a claim if he fails to make the Leafs next season.
With prospects Matt Finn and Tom Nilsson expected to be part of the 2014 Marlies and young Petter Granberg likely to get a serious look at training camp next September, Holzer’s best chance at an NHL job might be with another NHL team.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
For Those on Twitter:
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information
click here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»