Top PTO candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs

While GM Brad Treliving has recently commented on some comfort in the Toronto Maple Leafs depth, he does have a long history of finding a few veteran players to offer opportunities to. Already, a couple of names have been rumoured, as Jack Roslovic and Max Pacioretty remain unsigned. To the extent that both are physically fit, other teams around the league will have some interest as well. Roslovic will likely receive a contract, perhaps one greater than the Leafs could offer.

There are other options, though. While not quite as established as Roslovic, they might be able to add to the Leafs depth. Let’s take a look at three standouts amongst the PTO market.

Klim Kostin

In recent years, Kostin has bounced around quite a bit, but once upon a time, he was a first-round pick in the St. Louis Blues organization at the same time as Craig Berube. The Leafs covet power and size on the wings, and Kostin certainly brings as much. At times, he can show great flashes, where he is physically imposing, decisive, and forcefully simple. He might not be as well-rounded a player as Steven Lorentz, but he does have some salient traits.

Hoping for some untapped offensive upside might be in the past, but Kostin should be able to bring some energy to a fourth line. He might be able to punch up the lineup in select games, but he is unlikely to maintain these spots. Still, players should never be ruled out. Some moves in tight to control pucks would help Kostin convert on the opportunities that he finds in front of the net.

Jesse Puljujarvi

A similar archetype to Kostin is Jesse Puljujarvi. A former top draft prospect who has bounced around the league a bunch, Puljujarvi brings undeniable physical traits. Obviously, there has been some turbulence along the way, as no team has stuck with him long.

Puljujarvi’s forechecking is a standout, though balance and agility seem to be issues. He often posts strong underlying numbers, but rarely has the offensive quality to convert. He is rambunctious and, like Kostin, willing to engage physically, but often lacks puck control.

At times, the Leafs have had success rehabilitating players, but many times it was not enough. Regardless, Puljujarvi should be able to hold down a fourth-line role. He might not be quite as good as Calle Jarnkrok, but he might have some ability to push Lorentz.

Brett Leason

Naturally, Leason has some similar traits as well, a bigger forward who embraces his role. Leason has been stuck on the Anaheim Ducks fourth line for a while, which is hardly an ideal place to grow. He has also handled a significant penalty killing role during that time.

Unlike Kostin and Puljujarvi, there is no promise of greater offence, though effectively his contributions might be the same. Puljujarvi has the standout underlying metrics, but Leason has been without much help in a heavy defensive usage.

Either way, the concept behind each of these forwards is similar. The Leafs might already have a logjam on the wings, perhaps only yearning for one more top-six winger. As it stands, it is easy to see a lot of bodies fighting for bottom-six spots.

Gustav Lindstrom

While there might be some debate as to whether or not the Leafs need to add another more physical winger, not much focus seems to be on the blueline. Clearly an area of emphasis for Treliving, the Leafs have a lot of depth here. On top of their six NHL defencemen set to reprise their roles, the Leafs have Henry Thrun and Philippe Myers, who have been everyday NHLers. Both in their 20s, Thrun, an offensive left shot, and Myers, a defensive right shot, still have their form.

Beyond that, the Leafs have several veterans who could reasonably step in for a game or two on an emergency basis. On the left, Dakota Mermis and Marshall Rifai have done so, and Cade Webber might have a chance to compete for their spots. The right side is a bit thinner, as Matt Benning is a veteran option. William Villeneuve is a speculative option, though perhaps only if the Leafs are looking for something offensively.

Enter Gustav Lindstrom. Though not as mean or physically imposing as the Leafs seem to prefer, he plays more of a quiet, cerebral defensive style. Right-shot defencemen are famously hard to come by, and the Leafs rely on Oliver Ekman-Larsson to play his weak side already. For this reason, Myers seems to be extremely valuable, the only real option if anything happens to Chris Tanev or Brandon Carlo.

In all honesty, there are teams more desperate for help at right defence than the Leafs are. Some prognosticators have started to leave Myers off the NHL roster, potentially exposing him to waivers. Lindstrom, in essence, serves as insurance against this. At the same time, there should be teams interested in giving Lindstrom a shot in the first place, and with equal offers, Lindstrom might rather sign somewhere with a closer path to playing time. As long as he remains unsigned, the Leafs should keep an open mind.