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The Toronto Maple Leafs just before the start of training camp last September chose to extend a professional tryout to former San Jose Shark Noah Gregor, which resulted in the speedy forward earning a roster spot and the Leafs trading Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks for a draft choice.
Players are still getting one-year NHL deals and contracts in Europe, as Daniel Sprong did with the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday and former Anaheim Duck Maxime Comtois did with Moscow Dynamo of the KHL earlier this week, but as the calendar flips to August and camps are weeks away, unsigned free agents may be willing to roll the dice and take a chance on latching onto a club via the tryout route.
Here are a few names that might make sense for the Leafs:
Nick Cousins (Florida) – The 31-year-old Stanley Cup winner would fit in new coach Craig Berube’s more physical motif as a fourth-line energy guy and as a professional disturber of the highest order.
John Klingberg (Toronto) – Hard to imagine someone not rolling the dice on the former All-Star on a one-year deal, but teams may want to get a free look before signing on the dotted line. The 31-year-old has a big shot from the point and that was the reason why GM Brad Treliving signed Klingberg last July. The Leafs took a chance on Matt Murray and had more knowledge about the extent of his injuries, and that would be the case with the former Dallas Star.
Sammy Blais (St. Louis) - Played for Berube with the Blues on the 2019 Cup winner as a fourth-line role player. Only 28, the 6’2”, 206 lb. winger is all sandpaper and not much skill.
Alex Nylander (Columbus)– Surprisingly still unsigned after scoring 11 goals in 23 games after being dealt to the Blue Jackets. Willie’s little brother is a former top-10 pick of Buffalo who has also played with Chicago and Pittsburgh. It does not seem to be a fit with the style that Toronto may be looking to play, but it might be worth a training camp invite.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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