Over the last little while the Maple Leafs have made a lot of bad roster decisions.
Leafs GM Dave Nonis and co. allowed Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur (the two combined for 90 points in 137 games) to test free agency and leave for nothing, while breaking the bank for former Devil David Clarkson, who the team signed for seven years with an annual cap hit of $5.25 million. Clarkson's first year was a total disaster, as he had 11 points in 60 games, but it probably won't get that much better at any point.
Clarkson had the one good 30-goal season, but I think anyone familiar with the Devils could have told you not to expect more than his 25-30 point average per season.
Anyhow, the Leafs seem to gush over players like Clarkson who bring "grit, intangibles, leadership" and all that stuff, so it wouldn't be surprising to see them target more this off-season.
While Brendan Shanahan has the final say on player personnel decisions, I expect more of the same this summer. The team retained Randy Carlyle, so obviously they believe a) he wasn't the problem last year (he was); and b) they're going to put together the team the way he likes it.
One of their key goals this off-season is to add defense, and they're apparently targeting veterans.
Via Darren Dreger translated by @Hope_Smoke: …I can tell you that the Leafs are concerned primarily with their defensive core. They want to upgrade there. They’d like to add a top 4, but that’s not news breaking. They’d like to add some veteran presence on D or up front to work with their younger roster."
That brings me to my next point: how about Bryce Salvador?
The Devils are looking to clear out some space for their young defensemen - Jon Merrill, Eric Gelinas and Adam Larsson - plus moving Salvador would give them more cap space, and an extra roster spot to bring back UFAs Mark Fayne and Marek Zidlicky.
Salvador is the captain of the Devils and Lou Lamoriello has moved captains before, so it wouldn't be stunning if Lamoriello trades Salvador if he thinks it makes sense.
There's some benefits from the New Jersey side of things, and given those quotes from Dreger, it sounds like he could be of interest to the Maple Leafs.
Salvador is a veteran defenseman who can play on the penalty kill, and he'd bring Toronto grit, intangibles, leadership and all that stuff they go wild over. He has just one year left at a reasonable cap hit of just over $3 million, so he'd be a manageable add for the Leafs.
I doubt the asking price would be overly high, either, so if Toronto wants him, they may just get him.
This is an off the board move and probably unlikely, but given how both teams are run, it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
**
Scouting reports
Devils posts
Jackets posts
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com