Insider Suggests Maple Leafs Have Longer-Term Plans for Larger UFA Contracts
Photo credit: Perry Nelson Imagn Images
TSN's Chris Johnston suggested the Leafs will be cautious with their cap space this off-season to prepare for a major shakeup in the NHL landscape in 2026
Rumoured to be contemplating free agency, Mitch Marner's comments at his end-of-season media availability all but confirmed he does intend to test the UFA market on July 1st.
Without Mitch Marner and John Tavares signed, the Leafs currently have $26.8M in cap space this off-season according to PuckPedia. Of course, some of that will go towards new deals for John Tavares and Matthew Knies, but it still leaves the Leafs with plenty of room to make a big splash, or as Chris Johnston suggested, a few short-term, less significant moves.
On 'The Chris Johnston Show' this week, Johnston suggested that the Leafs will be cautious with their cap space this off-season given the lack of big-name free agents to take a run at more significant players in the 2026 and 2027 off-seasons.
"To me, the best bets would don't tie up that money immediately in something long-term and be well positioned, because we're about to enter what could be the most interesting era of player transfers in the next year or two or three.
So, if you're the Leafs, I think you need to try to be nimble. I think you want to be smart short-term with what you do with that cap space, because there could be some opportunities there (in 2026 and 2027)."
So, if you're the Leafs, I think you need to try to be nimble. I think you want to be smart short-term with what you do with that cap space, because there could be some opportunities there (in 2026 and 2027)."
Now, the Leafs will need a lot to go right for them the next couple of off-seasons in order for Johnston's idea to work, but you can't help but think the Leafs will do everything they can to keep enough cap space open for July 1st next year to take a run at Connor McDavid should he hit the open market.
If it isn't McDavid, there are a number of other potential free agents for 2026 that would be able to replace Marner, to an extent, like Jack Eichel and Kirill Kaprizov, should either become available.
While it may not be the off-season Leafs Nation is hoping for this year, next year could see the Leafs make some very high-profile additions.
| POLL | ||
MAI 22 | 7115 ANSWERS Insider Suggests Maple Leafs Have Longer-Term Plans for Larger UFA Contracts Do you think the Leafs should follow Johnston's suggestion and go shorter-term to keep money open for McDavid? | ||
| Absolutely, the free agents aren't great this year | 5180 | 72.8 % |
| No, they can't waste a year of Matthews' deal | 1935 | 27.2 % |
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