Toews, van Riemsdyk Among Low-Salaried Solid Gambles For Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are settling into their first off-season with new GM Brad Treliving – and they’ve got some notably intriguing decisions to make. For starters, there’s the possibility of bringing back unrestricted free agent forwards and trade deadline acquisitions Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari. But after that – or despite that – Treliving could choose to use his $14.7 million in projected salary cap space on new faces in Toronto. Here are a few potential UFA targets for the Leafs this summer:

1. Jonathan Toews, C.

If Treliving can not re-sign O’Reilly, another accomplished veteran center he could zero in on is longtime Chicago Blackhawks star Toews. The 35-year-old appeared in only 53 games this past season, but he still managed to generate 15 goals and 31 points in that span. Toews probably won’t sign for the minimum salary, but he’s likely to be a cheaper option than O’Reilly. Slotting him in as Toronto’s third-line center would be a coup for Treliving, who may choose to keep some of his cap flexibility for the regular-season, and spend it on areas that, for one reason or another, arise as problems for the Leafs. Toews has the pedigree and experience all teams value, and he’s also accustomed to playing in a high-profile city like Toronto. Signing him to a one-or-two-year contract for $2-3-million makes sense for the Buds.

2. James van Riemsdyk, LW.

A second tour of duty in Toronto would be a good fit for van Riemsdyk, who at age 34 no longer is in his prime, but he could be a high-value bargain for the Leafs. JVR scored only 12 goals and 29 points in 61 games with Philadelphia last season, but that modest point total will drive down his asking price on the UFA market, and you have to remember he was playing on an abysmal Flyers team last season; on a more offensively-potent Leafs team, he could once again reach the 20-goal plateau. Van Riemsdyk is familiar with the Leafs organization and Toronto as a workplace, and it’s likely Treliving could sign him to a one-or-two-year contract at a cap hit of $2-2.5-million per season.

3. Gustav Nyquist, LW.

Nyquist had health woes last season, limiting him to 51 games. But prior to that, he’d been a solid contributor on offense, reaching the 20-goal plateau three times in his NHL career. He’ll turn 34 years old in September, but Nyquist’s salary will drop significantly from the $5.5-million cap hit he carried last season. A one-year contract for the Swedish winger at a cap hit of $2-million would provide secondary scoring depth for the Leafs on a low-risk, decent-reward deal. He’s not what he was in his prime, but Nyquist still has something to offer a team that manages his minutes properly.

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4. Paul Stastny, F.

Now a journeyman – and at age 37, the oldest player on this list – Stastny struggled for long stretches last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, managing only nine goals and 22 points in 73 games. However, in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, he showed he still had something left in the tank, scoring three goals, including the series-winner in overtime, against the New York Islanders. Stastny is likely to sign a league-minimum contract, with the key for him joining a bona fide Cup threat. He could slot in as Toronto’s fourth-line center, or on the wing, and bring his veteran know-how to the Buds at a very cheap pay rate. The cap crunch the Leafs face means they’ll be relying on some young players, but Stastny would be a depth signing that brings good value for the cap expenditure.