3 Maple Leafs Forwards Who Should Be Extended
Now that the NHL trade deadline is over and the playoffs are on the horizon, it is time to turn our attention to players on expiring deals and the offseason. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a handful of players on expiring deals: Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi are unrestricted free agents (UFA), and Nick Robertson, Connor Dewar, and Noah Gregor are restricted free agents (RFA). The difference between the two is that the RFA’s rights belong to the Maple Leafs, meaning that if another team offers them a contract and they accept, Toronto could be subject to a draft pick as compensation if they choose not to match. Whereas the UFAs are open to testing the free agent market as of July 1, 2024, at 12:00 a.m.
Although there are only five names listed above, we are going to prioritize three forwards that the Maple Leafs should offer extensions to. The other two, Dewar and Gregor, are depth additions to the team that can be replaced if needed. However, I do feel that Dewar will be another player that the Maple Leafs sign to a league-minimum contract for another year to keep him around.
Nick Robertson
Robertson is a player that many members of Leafs Nation adore, but still, to this point in his young career, he hasn’t gotten the chance to be a mainstay in the lineup. Now, a part of that is due to the numerous injuries that he has faced, but when he has been healthy, he has been the fringe player who gets sent down because he is waiver-exempt and called up when they need another body. Luckily for him, after he was called up, he was given the chance to get back in the lineup. Unfortunately for the team, that chance came due to an injury. Ultimately, he would like to make the most of this chance and stay in the lineup going into the playoffs.
Ideally, the Maple Leafs offer Robertson a contract extension, and he accepts it and is given a spot on the roster as an everyday NHLer. However, there could be a chance that he doesn’t want to sign with the organization and requests a trade; the only option he has would be to sit out the season and become a UFA.
The smartest decision for Robertson would be to sign an extension that is specifically a one-way deal, which would mean that if he is sent down, he would require waivers. There would be other teams that take a chance on him via the waiver wire, which may make him feel a bit more relaxed in terms of being an everyday NHLer. Robertson has had a good season in what is essentially his first full NHL season. He has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 43 games, which has provided the team with depth scoring and made him a more shoot-first player outside the top six. It wouldn’t be shocking if Robertson sought a short-term deal to maximize his earnings over his career. As a result, the Maple Leafs should offer him around $1 million for one season and see if he can have a prove-it season.
Max Domi
Domi has played a very unique role with the Maple Leafs this season. He has split time between the wing and center, spread out between the top three lines. Truthfully, he hasn’t done that badly, even though he has been used in so many different spots this season. He is a skilled player who has seemed to mesh well with Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, and Tyler Bertuzzi throughout the season, not to mention his connection with Mitch Marner from their London Knights days. The most intriguing part about him meshing well with Knies, Matthews, and Bertuzzi is that those may be three wingers on three different lines when everyone is healthy to start the playoffs. This means that Keefe can use him on just about any of the four lines, and he will have chemistry with someone on the line.
