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The Toronto Maple Leafs could be quite busy on free agent frenzy day or Canada Day as my friends north of the border would call it, but the question is whether they will be seeing players on their roster leaving for parts unknown, seeing some of them staying in T.O. or whether GM Brad Treliving will be looking for bargain additions with the club’s cap situation so limited.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that enforcer Ryan Reaves turned down returning to the Minnesota Wild, and numerous sources have him signing with Toronto on a multi-year deal.
Analysis – The question here is for how much. Reaves is 36 and the term does not matter if he chooses to retire after another year, but any cap hit over $1.2 million is something that cannot be buried in the AHL and will affect the cap going forward.
The Leafs are believed to be ready to pitch free-agent winger Tyler Bertuzzi and at least one defenseman.
Analysis – Bertuzzi plays the game the way Treliving likes it to be played, so the Leafs being in on him makes a lot of sense, especially if the plan is to trade William Nylander for future or young assets a year in advance of free agency.
The chatter according to Friedman and others coming out of Nashville is that the Leafs and Nylander’s camp are not close on a new deal.
Analysis - Color me as being shocked. Anyone who expected Nylander to give the Leafs any kind of team-friendly extension were lying to themselves and his reported asking price in excess of $9 million per season is a dramatic overpay for a player with gaps in his game.
Indications on Saturday morning are that pending free agents Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly will go to market. Schenn indicated that he wanted to stay in Toronto and the Leafs were interested in keeping him, but his performance in the playoffs attracted more interest and potential offers from other clubs.
O’Reilly could be the most attractive center in the free agent class, so the chances of him staying in Toronto were slim.
Analysis – Sad to see both players go, but this is the fallout from paying so much for four forwards and not being able to pay good support players.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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