Maple Leafs Predicted to Land Stanley Cup Champion in Free Agency

As the Toronto Maple Leafs get ready for the upcoming offseason, the roster is expected to look very different next year. With a few key players entering free agency, the front office will have a lot of work to do.

Toronto suffered another early playoff exit, so the team could be forced to make some drastic moves. But the Maple Leafs are still planning on going after a Stanley Cup, putting even more pressure on building a more well-rounded team.

The free agent class this year has a few solid options that Toronto should consider. And the Maple Leafs should look no further than to the team that knocked them out of the postseason, the Florida Panthers.

Florida has multiple quality players hitting free agency as well, and the Maple Leafs could benefit from this. One name that could be intriguing is veteran center Sam Bennett, who could help bolster the Toronto offense.

NHL writer Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report linked the two together, listing Toronto as a possible landing spot.

"History and money have a way of working out sometimes, but if the Leafs added Bennett while also losing Marner, the way Toronto plays and responds to teams will change drastically. Bennett addresses a desperate need in the Leafs lineup and they may have a lot of money at their disposal to make an offer. If Bennett doesn't re-sign with Florida ahead of July 1, Toronto will push hard for his services," Yerdon wrote.