The Toronto Maple Leafs have not officially released a list of which of their restricted free agents received qualifying offers, but Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston and Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star have reported that forwards Peter Holland, Josh Leivo, defensemen Connor Carrick, Frank Corrado and Martin Marincin and goalie Garret Sparks received offers before the 5pm Monday deadline.
Defenseman Stuart Percy, forwards Sam Carrick and Colin Smith were not qualified and become unrestricted free agents.
The 23-year-old Percy was Toronto’s first round selection in 2011 and had three assists in 12 NHL games. The Oakville, ON impressed in a nine-game stint at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, but could never manage to stay healthy or maintain consistency long enough to earn a long look with the Leafs.
Carrick, 24, was a fifth round pick in 2010 and had a career-best 16 goals with the AHL Toronto Marlies last season, but may be a victim to the influx of players drafted or added by the Lamoriello/Hunter/Dubas management team.
Smith, 23, was acquired as part of the deal in February that sent Shawn Matthias to Colorado and scored at nearly a point-per-game pace for the Marlies while many of their top players were getting some time in the NHL.
It is possible that Toronto could sign Carrick or Smith to an AHL deal instead of a pro contract, but Percy is likely to look for another opportunity with a different NHL club to get a chance at earning an NHL roster spot next season.
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In spite of trade discussions on the floor of the NHL Draft in Sunrise, FL last June, the Maple Leafs were not able to pull off the Phil Kessel deal until the following week. One reason may have been because Kessel was due a $4 Million signing bonus on July 1.
The Leafs paid that bonus and Kessel was dealt to Pittsburgh on the opening day of free agency.
That bonus factor could be at play with goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who enters the last year of a two-year, $8.3 Million contract but appears to be penciled in as the backup to the recently acquired Frederik Andersen.
"You know what, I'll be honest, I wasn't surprised on the trade to get another goalie," Bernier said to ESPN’s
Pierre LeBrun earlier this week. "I was expecting it obviously with the season I had last year. I'm sure I put some doubts in a lot of people's minds. That's the business, right? You got to win and you got to prove that you're consistent and you're a good goalie to stay in this league. So I wasn't surprised. Maybe a little surprised on the long-term contract (that Andersen signed), but that's the way it works."
Bernier has a $2 Million signing bonus due on July 1, which means that a team acquiring the 27-year-old would have a $4.15 Million cap hit, but would only be paying $2.15 Million in actual salary.
LeBrun indicates that the Florida Panthers have expressed interest in the 27-year-old netminder and the Calgary Flames may still be looking for help in goal after adding Brian Elliott on Draft weekend. The Flames scouted Bernier last November and have no other goaltender with pro experience in their organization after not qualifying Joni Ortio on Monday.
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News on the Stamkos situation has been few and far between, except for many hockey observers offering their opinion of where the 26-year-old center will be heading as an unrestricted free agent beginning at Noon on July 1.
Sportsnet's Chris Johnston indicates that it is possible that the situation could be resolved prior to Friday to enable Stamkos to get a max eight-year contract by signing with Tampa Bay and having the Lightning trade him to his preferred destination.
The result would mean Stamkos waiving his no-movement clause on his current contract prior to the no-trade/no-move protection going into place on a new contract and him getting an additional year from a team other than Tampa, while the Lightning get something in return for the superstar center.
Taking the leap that Toronto is the preferred destination, what would the Leafs have to give up to acquire Stamkos' rights?
The Lightning have to sign RFA's Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn, Vladislav Namestnikov this summer and defenseman Victor Hedman, forwards Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson next summer.
Does that mean that Tampa would not want Nazem Kadri ($4.5 Million for the next six seasons) or James van Riemsdyk ($4.25 Million for two more years), who would help in their Stanley Cup aspirations?
The Leafs under Brendan Shanahan have not shown a willingness to mortgage future draft picks, so it is unlikely that the club would entertain the idea of moving their 2017 or 2018 first round pick, but could an offer of a prospect like Kasperi Kapanen and a draft pick for Stamkos satisfy Tampa GM Steve Yzerman?
We will know within the next 48 hours.
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Listen to the latest edition of "The Convo" with myself and CTV's Norman James. Guess who we are talking about? :
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