Although the Toronto Maple Leafs are sometimes ridiculed for having some gamers followers really feel are overpaid, they don’t appear to get recognition for a few of their higher contracts. Since becoming a member of the group, common supervisor Brad Treliving has been in a position to work out some offers that, not less than on paper, look fairly good.
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If the Maple Leafs hope to go on a deep playoff run this upcoming spring, they’ll want a few of these gamers on good offers to make huge contributions each late within the season and into the postseason. Listed here are 4 on their roster which are prone to exceed their contract worth in 2024-25.
Matthew Knies
After a powerful playoff exhibiting in 2023, Matthew Knies had some stress on him coming into his rookie season, as many followers believed he was able to producing strong secondary offence. The 21-year-old did simply that, scoring 15 objectives and 35 factors in 80 video games.
Although sophomore slumps are very a lot an actual factor, most consider Knies will construct off of final season’s manufacturing and be even higher in his second stint. Ought to that be the case, his entry-level deal that carries a cap hit of simply $925,000 can be an absolute cut price.
Nicholas Robertson
After a prolonged holdout by way of the whole lot of the offseason, Nicholas Robertson lastly gave up and agreed to a one-year, $875,000 deal. That may be a very strong quantity for a participant who, in solely 56 video games a season in the past, discovered the again of the online 14 occasions whereas additionally including 13 helpers.
Having simply turned 23 on Sept. 11, Robertson nonetheless has loads of room to develop as a participant. He has confirmed his offensive skills on the American Hockey League stage, and with a brand new head coach behind the NHL bench in Craig Berube, may have an even bigger alternative to supply this coming season. That mentioned, even when the numbers are much like what they had been in 2023-24, that will outperform the present deal he finds himself on.
Chris Tanev
Many questioned the Maple Leafs and significantly Treliving when it was introduced that that they had signed Chris Tanev to a six-year, $27 million take care of a cap hit of $4.5 million. The rationale it caught a lot flack is because of the truth that the veteran defenceman is already 34 years outdated, and turns 35 in December.
Whereas it’s actually truthful to query how this contract will age, there’s no denying that for the approaching season, it’s certainly one of nice worth. Although Tanev supplies subsequent to nothing offensively, he is among the greatest shutdown defenders within the NHL and can also be excellent on the penalty kill. He was the precise sort of defenceman the Maple Leafs wanted and ought to be an enormous assist to them this coming season.
Joseph Woll
Assuming he can keep wholesome, goaltender Joseph Woll appears poised to have an enormous season for the Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old had a breakout season in 2023-24, showing in a career-high 25 video games whereas posting a 2.94 objectives in opposition to common (GAA) together with a .907 save proportion (SV%).
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Whereas Woll was tremendous within the common season, it was his efficiency within the playoffs that factors in direction of an enormous 2024-25 season. He wound up changing Ilya Samsonov, and in three video games had an otherworldly 0.86 GAA and a .964 SV%. Clearly, these numbers should not sustainable, however ought to he play to roughly a .915 SV% stage, his $766,667 cap hit can be a steal for the Maple Leafs.
Cut price Offers Wanted for Maple Leafs
Whereas each staff wants a few of their depth gamers to carry out properly, it’s much more essential for the Maple Leafs. It is a staff that has a superb majority of their cap area tied up in 5 gamers. Whereas they’re all extraordinarily gifted people, hockey is a staff sport, which explains the Maple Leafs’ shortcomings in current seasons. If the gamers talked about above can have huge seasons, nevertheless, the staff’s fortunes may change in 2024-25.
