Three free agents linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs
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Tyler Ball
May 26, 2024 (12:33)
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A new report this afternoon from NHL insider David Pagnotta has linked the Toronto Maple Leafs to three of the top free agents on the market this summer.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be active this summer to pursue several players to add to their core. With new head coach Craig Berube the emphasis is likely to be on adding depth offensively and higher end talent defensively.
Of these players, the Toronto Maple Leafs' top priority should likely be Nikita Zadorov. He is a reliable physical presence who can play a high amount of minutes. His style fits the playoffs well and he is known for being a good teammate. His contract likely would require the Maple Leafs to move out a player or two to fit him in.
Dakota Joshua would be the least flashy signing but would still be an effective player. A defensive forward who would likely play in the bottom six but brings a lot of the qualities that Craig Berube values in a player.
Finally, we have Viktor Arvidsson who is certainly a highly talented forward. This season he only played 18 regular season games but tallied 15 points. He would certainly be the most expensive player on this list and at age 31 might not be worth the investment. However, if the Maple Leafs move forwards like Mitch Marner or John Tavares this summer he could be a good replacement in the top-six.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will need to evaluate what kind of player they are looking to add most. Depending on the answer to that question any three of the players on this list could become the favorite as they all fill very different roles.