The Toronto Maple Leafs could look to bolster their blue line in free agency.
Toronto already pulled off a sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh, but the Maple Leafs dealt Brando Carlo to the St. Louis Blues. With that, Maple Leafs analyst Jeremy Tingly of LeafsNation urges the team to sign former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley.
“Stanley is an interesting profile as the 6-foot-7 blueliner was traded mid-season last year and didn’t really keep the momentum going in Buffalo,” Tingly wrote. “As a Sabre, Stanley was in and out of the lineup and eventually was scratched down the stretch in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, however, the reality is Stanley is coming off a career season, and there’s a ton of untapped potential to his game. …
“Stanley won’t cost very much to sign and would likely accept a much cheaper average annual value, if it means there’s an extra year added onto the contract. The Kitchener, ON native would give a nice wrinkle to the Leafs’ blueline, he’s bigger than Carlo, and plays way more physical, and in your face. And, with the potential of Rielly and Myers being dealt at some point this summer, Stanley could be a low-cost high-reward type of signing for Chayka and company, and flourish as a Leaf.”
Stanley is a 6-foot-7 defenseman who can play on the third pairing and be a physical, shutdown defenseman. He recorded 9 goals and 17 assists for 26 points in 76 games between the Sabres and the Winnipeg Jets last season.
Stanley Would Add Grit to Maple Leafs’ Blue Line
If Toronto does sign Stanley, the big defenseman would add some more grit to the blue line.
Carlo was supposed to fill that role, but he struggled in Toronto and was dealt to the Blues. With that, Tingly believes Stanley would fill that role nicely.
“The former first-round pick is 28 years old, he’s an absolute beast to deal with in front of the net and in the dirty areas of the ice, and Stanley isn’t afraid to drop the gloves and give his team a spark. Adding some more grit and toughness should be on Chayka’s to-do list, and the towering Stanley brings that, and much, much more,” Tingly added.
Stanley has also skated in 25 career playoff games, so he has playoff experience that is a nice asset for the Maple Leafs. He’s also from Waterloo, which is just over an hour away from Toronto, which could entice him to sign in Toronto.
Toronto is Looking to be Aggressive
The Maple Leafs are overhauling their roster, and Toronto has already done a nice job of doing so.
Toronto has added Raddysh and is expected to be aggressive when free agency opens on July 1 at noon, but GM John Chayka said the team is looking for more depth.
“It is depth, for the most part. There are a few holes we have, but we are going to be really focused on the depth early and see if we can round out the roster,” Chayka said. “Again, there are some bigger swings we’ll take and look at some things, but ultimately, it is a two-sided marketplace. There are some smart agents out there who are trying to maximize the value for their players as well. We are going to be disciplined in the marketplace and make sure we do our best to make the team the best possible.”
The Maple Leafs have just under $21 million in cap space.
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