NHL Insider reports on what Sandin and Liljegren's new contracts might look like this summer

Both Sandin and Liljegren played significant roles for the Leafs this season, with the main perception being that both excelled in their respective roles and took big leaps forward in their development this season. Obviously, for Sandin, there were some injuries to deal with throughout the course of the season, but his body of work when he had been in the lineup was largely very good.

During an appearance on SN590 on Monday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Leafs should lock up both Sandin and Liljegren to short-term deals. The route of the bridge deal is often more advantageous for the player than it is for the team, as it gives the player a chance to bet on themselves in the short term to cash in for the long term.

In terms of what the expected AAV would be for both young defensemen, Friedman stated that it's likely that both Sandin and Liljegren would fetch somewhere in the $2M range. The question is, will the deals be 2 or 3-year bridge deals.

Locking up one of them for 2 years and the other for 3 would allow the Buds to stagger the contracts so that they'll expire in different years, which would certainly have its benefits. However, it could also mean a slightly higher AAV for the player who agrees to a 3-year term.