Now that the NHL trade deadline has passed and the playoffs are on the horizon, it’s time to focus on players with expiring contracts and the offseason. Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi are unrestricted free agents (UFA), while Nick Robertson, Connor Dewar, and Noah Gregor are restricted free agents. The distinction between the two is that the Maple Leafs own the RFA’s rights, which means that if another team offers them a deal and they sign, Toronto may receive a draft selection as compensation if they do not match. Whereas UFAs are willing to test the free agent market as on July 1, 2024, at 12:00 a.m.
Although there are only five names listed above, we will prioritize three forwards to whom the Maple Leafs should extend extensions. The last two, Dewar and Gregor, are depth additions to the team who can be changed if necessary. However, I believe Dewar will be another Maple Leafs player who is signed to a league-minimum salary for another year in order to keep him.
Nick Robertson
Robertson is a player who many Leafs fans admire, but at this stage in his young career, he has yet to be a regular in the lineup. Now, some of this is due to the numerous injuries he has sustained, but when he has been healthy, he has been a periphery player who is sent down because he is waiver-exempt and called up when they need another body. Fortunately for him, after being called up, he was given the opportunity to rejoin the squad. Unfortunately for the team, that opportunity occurred due to an injury. Finally, he hopes to make the most of this opportunity and remain in the lineup heading into the playoffs.
Ideally, the Maple Leafs offer Robertson a contract extension, which he takes and earns a spot on the roster as an everyday NHL player. However, there is a chance that he may not want to sign with the team and seeks a trade; in that case, his sole alternative is to sit out the season and become a free agent.
The best decision for Robertson would be to sign a one-way extension, which would necessitate waivers if he is sent down. Other teams may take a chance on him via the waiver wire, making him feel more at ease about being an everyday NHLer. Robertson has had a good season in what is effectively his first complete NHL season. He has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 43 games, giving the squad depth scoring and making him a more shoot-first player outside of the top six. It would not be surprising if Robertson sought a short-term contract to maximize his profits throughout his career. As a result, the Maple Leafs should offer him about $1 million for one season to see whether he can establish himself.
Max Domi has played a unique role for the Maple Leafs this season. He has played both on the wing and in the center, alternating between the top three lines. To be honest, despite being used in a variety of positions this season, he hasn’t performed poorly. He is a skilled player who has appeared to gel well with Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, and Tyler Bertuzzi this season, not to mention his connection to Mitch Marner from their London Knights days. The most exciting aspect of him playing well with Knies, Matthews, and Bertuzzi is that those three wingers may be on three separate lines when everyone is healthy to begin the playoffs. This means Keefe may put him on any of the four lines, and he’ll get along with someone on the line.
When general manager (GM) Brad Treliving brought Domi to the Maple Leafs, many people believed he would help add grit to the squad. He has, but he has also contributed to the depth scoring. Especially now that the Maple Leafs are without Marner and must rely on others to fill the void. So far this season, he has eight goals and 27 assists for 35 points in 67 games, and he should be able to receive additional ice time to reach the 10-goal, 35-assist plateau.
Treliving would be wise to leverage his family name’s experience in Toronto when negotiating a contract; his father, Tie Domi, spent parts of 12 seasons with the Maple Leafs. This may allow the Maple Leafs to acquire Domi at a reduced average annual value (AAV) in the long run, allowing him to potentially retire in blue and white. The offer that should be considered is around $3 million over four seasons, for a total of $12 million.
Tyler Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi had a terrible first half of the season with the Maple Leafs, but in the last two months, many people’s opinions about him have shifted. During the first half, he appeared bewildered. He was missing the net and unable to buy a goal, so he lost all confidence. It showed when he was benched by Keefe at least once a week and played in the bottom six; he didn’t participate in any scrums after the whistles. I felt he might be a deadline move to get his cap off the books. Fortunately for Bertuzzi, he was able to turn things around and rediscover his game, which has not disappointed fans. He is active after the whistles; he is putting pucks in the back of the net and entering filthy areas to compete for the puck to assist his linemates. Aside from Ilya Samsonov’s improvement this season, Bertuzzi has been the other player who has taken advantage of his recent performance and impressed almost everyone.
Bertuzzi has the potential to make a significant impact on the game when he is at his best. He rushes immediately to the net and competes for rebounds and screens, which has proven to be really beneficial, particularly on the power play. So far this season, he has 14 goals and 18 assists in 66 games, totaling 33 points. Treliving should offer Bertuzzi a similar AAV to what he currently has, just as Domi has helped the Maple Leafs with secondary scoring, which the team has struggled with in recent years. He is signed to a one-year contract worth $5.5 million, which is where he should begin. It would be prudent to offer him a longer term than he received the first time around, but maintain the AAV as close to $5.5 million as possible. It’s a safe estimate that $5.75-6 million would be a reasonable AAV over two to three seasons.
There is a chance that this will all change depending on how the Maple Leafs do in the playoffs, but it would be wise to lock up these three because they have given much-needed depth scoring. They have also demonstrated the ability to step into almost any job and perform admirably. Most importantly, Treliving must demonstrate to his elite players that he will not simply keep rolling over the supporting group, like Kyle Dubas did. He should do his utmost to surround the core with players they are familiar with; this will benefit them in the long run.
