UPDATE: Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that the Leafs have signed winger Matt Martin to a four-year, $10 Million deal ($2.5 Million AAV).
The 27-year-old Windsor, ON native has 88 points (42 goals, 46 assists) and 680 penalty minutes in 438 NHL games with the New York Islanders and led the league in hits in each of the last five seasons.
Martin scored a career-high 10 goals in 2015-16 and addresses the Leafs need to get tougher and bigger, which head coach Mike Babcock said was a needed improvement at the end of last season.
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From Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, the Leafs are kicking tires on former Columbus and Carolina defenseman James Wisniewski.
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Ex-Leafs tracker
Joe Colborne - 2 years, $5 Million
Lee Stempniak - 2 years, $5 Million
Shawn Matthias - 2 years, $4.25 Million
Viktor Stalberg - 1 year, $1.5 Million
Jonas Gustavsson - 1 year, $800,000
John-Michael Liles - 1 year, $2 Million
James Reimer - 5 years, $3.4 Million
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are not likely to be in the bidding for the higher echelon of free agents on July 1, after striking out in their pursuit of Steven Stamkos. GM Lou Lamoriello will not be in the mix for the services of Milan Lucic, Loui Eriksson, Eric Staal or David Backes and will concentrate on finding a depth defenseman, potentially a veteran bargain on short-term deals or a younger unrestricted free agent that could fit with the club’s younger core group or improve the Leafs toughness.
Names that could be under consideration are:
Devante Smith-Pelly - The 23-year-old winger has played for Anaheim and Montreal and scored eight goals in 18 games after being traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Jon Merrill - Former Lamoriello draft pick in 2010, the 24-year-old defenseman was not qualified by the Devils earlier this week.
Brandon Pirri - A former 20-goal scorer who was traded from Florida and Anaheim last season and struggled with injuries.
Mikkel Boedker - A former top 10 pick of the Coyotes, Boedker scored 17 goals with Arizona and Colorado last season, but is likely looking for a long-term deal that Toronto may not be willing to offer.
Sam Gagner - An extremely talented offensive player who was not a good fit in Philadelphia under the defensive minded Dave Hakstol, but played well in the Flyers run to the post-season.
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TSN's Darren Dreger reported that the Leafs were pursuing free agent defenseman Kris Russell.
Russell played for Columbus, St Louis and nearly three seasons with the Calgary Flames before being traded to the Dallas Stars at the deadline for two minor leaguers and a second round pick.
The 29-year-old blueliner had a career-high 34 points in 2015 and made $2.6 Million the last two seasons and with crop of free agent defenseman thinning after the signings of Keith Yandle and Alex Goligoski, Russell could draw as much as $4 Million per season on the open market.
Dreger reported on Friday that Russell has narrowed his list to four teams.
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The buyout of defenseman Jared Cowen has now become something for an arbitrator to decide according to
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The 25-year-old defenseman was acquired along with Milan Michalek, Colin Greening, Tobias Lindberg and a second round pick in the Dion Phaneuf deal on February 9.
Cowen was immediately placed on IR for hip tightness, but was
cleared medically, activated and placed on waivers two weeks later.
After clearing waivers, Cowen was told that he would not play, that Toronto would buy him out after the season and that he was free to talk to other NHL clubs about a contract for next year.
Friedman reports that the defenseman had surgery
on a doctor's recommendation after the season, so the arbitrator is to decide whether the Leafs medical staff cleared Cowen to make the buyout possible or if he was actually healthy.
If the arbitrator finds in favor of Toronto, the buyout will be reinstated and the Leafs will have a $650,000 credit on the salary cap for the upcoming season. If Cowen is successful,he will receive the full $4.5 Million owed in the final year of his contract and will cost Toronto some maneuvering room this summer, but they would be able to place the defenseman on LTIR and get cap relief on his $3.1 Million cap hit when the season starts.
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