Free-agency 'fun' for Maple Leafs in swing with July 1 still over a week away
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Well, isn’t that bleepin’ great.
With the Mitch Marner door expected to slam shut on the Maple Leafs once National Hockey League free agency begins on July 1, a few other doors are being closed.
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Free-agency 'fun' for Maple Leafs in swing with July 1 still over a week away Back to video
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And that’s still with more than a week to go before we get to the annual NHL festivities on Canada Day.
For those who figured, or were hoping to any degree, that perhaps Leafs general manager Brad Treliving might entice Sam Bennett or Jonathan Toews to sign in Toronto once the market opened, you’re going to have to look elsewhere for your free-agent fix.
Hours after Bennett indicated that he’s going to re-sign with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Winnipeg Jets on Friday said announced that Toews will be signing with them on July 1, when he is eligible to do so. Toews hasn’t played in an NHL game since April 13, 2023, for the Chicago Blackhawks, before stepping away for health reasons.
The Leafs had some initial interest earlier this year when Toews’ desire to return to the NHL went public. His hometown Jets were always thought to be heavily in the mix, however, and now the 37-year-old Toews will get a chance to wear Winnipeg’s colours on a one-year contract.
Bennett caught the hockey world’s attention late on Thursday night — or early Friday morning — when he said, while on a nightclub stage during a Cup celebration party in Miami, that he “ain’t f–ing leaving,” indicating to a frenzied crowd that he’s going to re-sign with the Panthers.
Via text on Friday morning, Bennett’s agent, Darren Ferris, told us a new contract with the Panthers was not done.
“It was an incredible and emotional night for the Panthers and well-deserved,” Ferris said. “The celebrations have been amazing to see, and Sam’s just taking it all in with his teammates right now.
“At this time, no contract has been signed — when there’s something official, we’ll share it accordingly.”
Panthers general manager Bill Zito said on Tuesday night after Florida beat the Edmonton Oilers to repeat as Cup champions that he thinks he can bring back all three of the club’s bold-face potential free agents — Bennett, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad.
At the very least, expect Bennett talks between Ferris and Zito to pick up. As of now, it would be rather surprising if Bennett signed anywhere but Florida.
After winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP, Bennett is line for a major bump in pay. The centre, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Friday, is coming off a four-year contract that carried an average annual value of $4.425 million US.
Another substantial name came off the free-agent board on Thursday when Matt Duchene, who had 82 points in 82 games last season with the Dallas Stars, signed a four-year pact to remain in Dallas.
Whether the Leafs would have any chance to sign Bennett, Toews or Duchene is just part of the point, With three fewer forwards available in free agency, the competition for those remaining will only increase.
After he had 20 points in 23 playoff games for the Panthers, making a strong run at winning the Conn Smythe himself, Marchand certainly should be firmly in the Leafs’ sights. Even at the age of 37, Marchand would be of great assistance to a Leafs team that needs a DNA change, as Treliving himself said.
Though Marchand might love to re-sign with the Panthers, Zito probably doesn’t have the money to keep all of his free agents.
Marchand has been having fun on Instagram since the Panthers’ Cup title, trolling NHL teams that in one way or another had players wind up with the Panthers, and on Friday weighed in on the idea of signing with the Leafs.
After Sportnet’s Nick Kypreos said on the podcast Leafs Morning Take that he doesn’t “know how Marchand doesn’t end up as a Maple Leaf,” Marchand replied on Instagram “(bleep) dawg … the people wanna see it???”
More trolling on the part of Marchand? We’ll soon find out.
What we’re intrigued to see as well is whether any of the early free-agent movement involving Duchene, Toews and likely Bennett has any bearing on the future of John Tavares.
Tavares’ 38 goals last season are the most among free-agent forwards (Marner is second with 27) and there’s no guarantee that Tavares and the Leafs will agree on a new contract, as much as both sides want to get something done.
As names fall off the board, wouldn’t Tavares have some curiosity as to what options there will be on the other side of July 1? You would think there would have to be even a little possibility of that.
An easier question to answer: Canada Day can’t come soon enough, can it?
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