5 Defenseman Toronto Maple Leafs Must Sign In Free Agency
It’s no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to go big-game hunting for a UFA defenseman (or three) this offseason.
Throughout history, the Toronto Maple Leafs have not done a great job at acquiring top defensive talent via free agency. Whether it was John Klingberg or Mike Komisarek as bad examples, you have to go all the way back to Borje Salming to find a legitimate stud they found in free agency.
There’s a reason why it’s so hard to find that marquee defenseman via free agency. It’s because teams have a hard time letting those types of players get to free agency because they’re so valuable.
The same thing applies to goalies and it’s why there have been three monster netminder trades this offseason already, compared to acquiring these players via free agency.
Although it’s harder to find that top-tier defenseman via free agency versus trade, there’s a lot of quality defenders in the 2024 UFA class.
There isn’t an elite defender who wiill contend for a Norris Trophy, but there are still some solid pieces that will help the depth and legitimize a team’s top-four.
Personally, I still think the Leafs need to trade one of their top forwards so they can acquire that number-one defenseman, but if the team can acquire two of the top-five UFA defenseman, it’ll set them up well to contend next year.
Anyway, here are five UFA defenseman the Toronto Maple Leafs must try to sign this offseason.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Want This Top Prospect from the Jets
The Toronto Maple Leafs have some exciting young players that should challenge to make the team out of training camp next season.
Easton Cowen and Fraser Minten are the two prospects that many Toronto Maple Leafs fans are penciling in to the 2024-25 lineup.
Minten had another great season in the WHL scoring 48 points in 43 games after he played 4 games for the Maple Leafs to start the 2023-24 season. He helped Saskatoon to a semi-final matchup against the Moose Jaw Warriors, but they lost in six games to the eventual WHL champions.
Back in Ontario, Easton Cowen tore up the OHL. Cowen finished tied for seventh in regular season scoring and had a 34-game point streak in the regular season, breaking the London Knights franchise record. He also won the OHL Playoff MVP, leading the Knights to an OHL Cup championship. (All stats eliteprospects.com).
The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Want This Top Prospect from the Jets
Minten and Cowen are great prospects in the Maple Leafs system but beyond them the cupboards are quite empty.
