Daily Faceoff lists Sam Bennett, Nikolaj Ehlers among free agent options for Maple Leafs

The offseason is well underway for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thanks to another early exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team from the hockey mecca of the world has now turned its focus on the future. Along with drafting the next wave of talent and securing some young stars for the future, general manager Brad Treliving and company have some decisions to make in terms of the current roster.

Daily Faceoff managing editor Matt Larkin recently wrote a piece discussing what the Maple Leafs could do if pending unrestricted free agents John Tavares and Mitch Marner sign elsewhere when free agency opens on July 1.

With the massive cap hits of both Tavares and Marner coming off the books, there are several other pending UFAs Toronto would have the flexibility to pursue. One of which is Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett. While that name churns the insides of many around Leafs Nation, the addition of a gritty player who has a knack for performing well during the postseason. He was a big part of the Panthers’ run to the team’s first Stanley Cup last year and is a reason the team is two wins away from advancing to the final for the third year in a row.

However, if the Panthers were to let the Ontario native to walk, there’s a lot of speculation that he will be receiving a heavy pay bump from his $4.425 million cap hit. The Leafs would certainly have space to acquire Bennett, but it’s not like they’ve made mistakes in taking on grinders in the past, right? (cc: David Clarkson, Nick Foligno).

Here’s an excerpt from Larkin’s article detailing the challenges that might come with targeting someone like Bennett in free agency, as much as an attractive target he may be.

“Bennett would bring the jam Toronto has lacked in do-or-die moments, but it will take an overpay to outbid rivals for his services. Does that mean a seven-year deal playing him north of $8 million or even $9 million annually? The Leafs would also have to compete with several U.S. markets that can sign him at a lower AAV because they don’t have state income tax. That includes Bennett’s current team.”

A couple of other players who could be on the Leafs’ radar are both Panthers. One of the team’s newest players, Brad Marchand, has the potential of heading to market—unless he really enjoys his time with the former Atlantic Division rival. Yet, if available, Toronto could certainly get some use out of the former Boston Bruin captain.

He might not be at the same level as he was at the age of 37, but he would bring the necessary experience (and nastiness) to propel the Leafs from a simple playoff team to a true championship contender.

Other forwards that might hit free agency this summer include Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, as well as Dallas Stars teammates Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund. Ehlers might not be the kind of guy to have the same playoff experience as Marchand or Bennett–as the Jets have only made it beyond the second round once–but he can help replace the skill lost from Marner and Tavares’ potential departures. Larkin detailed the benefits of targeting somebody like Ehlers below.

“Ehlers is blindingly fast. Most years, he grades out near the top of the league in primary assist rate. His offensive play-driving is consistently underrated. He’s also been criminally underused for much of his time with the Winnipeg Jets. He averages 27 and 63 points per 82 games in his career despite playing just 16:26 per night. The lack of ice time has stopped him from ever reaching 30 goals or 70 points in a season and could thus keep his AAV a relative bargain.”

Duchene is an interesting name, as he’s spent the last several seasons in warmer climates, but his skill and experience could be more of the filler if Tavares were to leave town. Granlund, no stranger to the cold, having played for the Minnesota Wild along with being Finnish, has seen a bit of a resurgence with Dallas, and has the knack of being a clutch player when it matters most. He could play anywhere in the lineup and make an impact, a “Swiss Army Knife,” as Larkin described him.

Who the Leafs target in free agency this season will be entirely shaped by what happens with Marner, and to a lesser degree, Tavares. But there are still lots of intriguing free agent options including the names listed above, and the bargain bin options, an area the Leafs have been known to frequent in the past.

You can read Larkin’s full article here.