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With the players acquired before the March 1 trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the only club at the maximum 50 professional contracts.
Once the deadline passed, all NHL clubs were able to sign players to deals that become effective at the start of the 2017-18 season (as the Flyers and Capitals did with 2015 first rounders German Rubtsov and Lucas Johansen).
Toronto can do that as well since those deals count towards next year’s pro contract limit (they have only 30 pro deals on the books for next season) but GM Lou Lamoriello cannot entice undrafted college free agents or Toronto draft picks playing in the NCAA to sign and burn a year of their entry-level deal (as the Leafs did Casey Bailey in 2015 and Matt Frattin in 2011), but they can sign free agents to deals effective next season.
The Leafs are under a time constraint with 2012 draft pick Dominic Toninato (a senior at Minnesota-Duluth) or any of their NCAA prospects who decides to leave school and turn pro, as well as 2015 selections Martins Dzierkals, Stephen Desrocher and Nikita Korostelev, who have to be signed by June.
In the case of Toninato, he can become an unrestricted free agent on August 15 (as Jimmy Vesey did last summer) if he chooses not to sign with the Leafs. UMD teammate Tony Cameranesi (drafted in 2011) did not get offered an NHL contract after finishing his senior season, but agreed to an AHL deal last summer.
If unsigned, the 2015 draftees will be eligible to be selected at the upcoming NHL Draft in Chicago.
The club retains the rights to 2015 second rounder Jeremy Bracco (OHL-Windsor) and 2014 fourth rounder JJ Piccinich (OHL-London) for up to four years, since they started their careers in the NCAA and transferred to CHL teams, but it is expected that the Leafs will get both signed to entry-level deals this summer, as well as 2016 prospect Carl Grundstrom, currently playing in the SHL.
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The Leafs take on the Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Center on Tuesday, facing a critical stretch if they hope to maintain their playoff aspirations.
Toronto takes on Philadelphia at ACC on Thursday and Carolina in Raleigh on Saturday, before their schedule turns decidedly more difficult the final 15 games of the campaign.
After losing five games in a row, the Leafs sit four points behind Boston for third spot in the Atlantic Division and one point in back of the New York Islanders for the second Eastern Conference wildcard spot, but are just one point ahead of Florida/Tampa Bay and two points ahead of the Flyers.
No lineup changes are expected for Toronto, who did not take to the ice for the morning skate on Tuesday, with the exception of Frederik Andersen in goal.
Games to watch
Philadelphia at Buffalo NY Rangers at Florida NY Islanders at Edmonton
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Listen to today’s interview with former Leafs Asst. GM Bill Watters, who gives his thoughts on the deals made at the trade deadline, where Toronto stands entering the final month of the season and talks about friend and former broadcast partner Joe Bowen, who will broadcast his 3000th game on Tuesday.
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