The Toronto Maple Leafs have added many new players to their roster this offseason. Among their new players are Sergei Bobrovsky, Darren Raddysh, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Nick Paul, Brandon Duhaime, and Emil Andrae.
While the Maple Leafs have certainly been busy this offseason, it is fair to wonder if they could look to bring in at least one more forward before the start of the season. Because of this, they are now being viewed as a potential fit for the NHL’s best free agent left.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Joe Yerdon named the Maple Leafs among the top potential free agent destinations for veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko.
“Part of Toronto’s offseason makeover under new GM John Chayka involved basically rebuilding the entire third and fourth lines,” Yerdon wrote. “While that’s good for toughening up the defense, it may leave the Maple Leafs’ offense relying too heavily on their star players to do all the scoring. Adding Vladimir Tarasenko as an option on the cheap could give them the scoring depth to help buoy them.”
If the Maple Leafs wanted to add another scorer before the start of the season, Tarasenko would be their best option through free agency. Due to this, it is understandable that they are being viewed as a possible fit for the veteran winger.
Vladimir Tarasenko Could Be Strong Addition for a Maple Leafs Team That Is Looking to Bounce Back
With the Maple Leafs looking to prove that this past season was a fluke, it would make sense if they took a chance on a veteran like Tarasenko. The 34-year-old winger would very likely give Toronto more secondary scoring if signed. His 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games last season with the Minnesota Wild show this.
With numbers like these, Tarasenko could slot well in the Maple Leafs’ top nine if signed. His scoring touch would also give Toronto another player to work with on their power play, so he could help the Maple Leafs in multiple ways.
On a short-term deal, it could make sense for the Maple Leafs to bring in Tarasenko to solidify their forward group. However, he would need to have a low cap hit, as Toronto has limited cap space.
Why the Maple Leafs Could Avoid Signing Tarasenko
While Tarasenko would have the potential to be a good fit on the Maple Leafs’ roster, it would also be understandable if they avoided him. Besides having limited cap space, Tarasenko is entering his age-35 season and could regress in skill.
Signing Tarasenko could also prevent Toronto’s younger players from having bigger roles on their roster. With the Maple Leafs retooling, they may want to avoid this.
Ultimately, while there are certainly some arguments to be had that the Maple Leafs should sign Tarasenko, there are also some red flags with a potential signing. It will be interesting to see if Toronto ends up making a push for the two-time Stanley Cup champion before the season is here.
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