The Jared McCann era with the Maple Leafs could be a short one
Kerfoot #Kerfoot
The Jared McCann era with the Maple Leafs was apparently a short one.
Not as short as the Robin Lehner era, but short.
You’ve got to think of the Maple Leafs that are available to the Seattle Kraken – with the draft slated for tonight – that McCann is the juiciest.
And at least one insider, Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, tweeted McCann would be Seattle’s choice.
I know around here it seems like folks were “rooting” for the Kraken to take Alex Kerfoot because at $3.5 million, Kerfoot earns the most of the available players, and maybe somehow that would translate into enough left over for a contract for Zach Hyman.
Yes, Kerfoot is the more complete player in the group and if Kraken GM Ron Francis is all in on winning this year, Kerfoot would be the guy.
But Francis is more about building a winner for years to come, so McCann – cheaper at $2.94 million – to me was the obvious choice. McCann has consistency issues, but has a better shot and plays a similar role. Both can be a third-line centre or top-six winger.
Both have one year left on their contract. Kerfoot will be a UFA next year. McCann, controllable as an RFA. Kerfoot turns 27 in August, McCann turned 25 in May.
GM Kyle Dubas has his detractors – more and more with each disappointing playoff result. And some will wonder why he gave up a prospect in Filip Hallander and a seventh-round pick to for a player who could be lost for nothing in less than a week.
But this was a brilliant move. Think of it like this, if the Leafs didn’t make the move, they’d be losing Kerfoot, needing to replace him. If they lose McCann then all they really lost through the expansion process was a prospect and a pick. Thirty teams have to lose something for nothing. The Leafs’ price will have been among the lowest.
THE WINNER
The winner in the expansion draft might be Travis Dermott. Seattle’s new head coach, Dave Hakstol, ran the Leafs defence the last two years. That just about coincides with Dermott’s decline. He played his fewest average minutes since his rookie campaign last year, and was frequently a healthy scratch. Hakstol had to have at least something to do with that. So I doubt Hakstol sees Dermott in the brightest of lights, at least not compared to McCann and Kerfoot. A new defensive coach, Spencer Carbery, might be just what the doctor ordered for Dermott.
THE LONGSHOT
The dark horse pick would have been Pierre Engvall, a 25-year-old who is a very competent third-liner, and at 6-foot-5 has such tantalizing size. At a $1.25-million cap hit, he’s low-risk, high reward. Like McCann, he’s an RFA next year, so controllable and cheap.
Here is the complete list of Maple Leafs, including free agents and Marlies, that are available to the Kraken.
According to various reports, here’s some of what Seattle is expected to do.
-Montreal’s Carey Price is staying put. Seattle won’t bite on him, but will take young blueliner Cale Fleury.
-Seravalli says Seattle will take goalies Chris Driedger (FLA), Vitek Vanecek (WSH) and Joey Daccord (OTT).
-A few reports say Seattle will also pass on Vladimir Tarasenko, taking defenceman Vince Dunn instead from St. Louis.
-Seattle will also pass on pending UFA Gabriel Landeskog.
-Seattle will take UFA defenceman Adam Larsson from the Oilers.
-Brandon Tanev is the likely target from Pittsburgh.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Available
Kenny Agostino (F)
Joey Anderson (F)
Adam Brooks (F)
Pierre Engvall (F)
Nick Foligno (F)
Alex Galchenyuk (F)
Zach Hyman (F)
Alexander Kerfoot (F)
Kalle Kossila (F)
Denis Malgin (F)
Jared McCann (F)
Riley Nash (F)
Stefan Noesen (F)
Nic Petan (F)
Scott Sabourin (F)
Wayne Simmonds (F)
Jason Spezza (F)
Antti Suomela (F)
Joe Thornton (F)
Zach Bogosian (D)
Travis Dermott (D)
Ben Hutton (D)
Martin Marincin (D)
Calle Rosen (D)
Frederik Andersen (G)
Michael Hutchinson (G)
David Rittich (G)
My guess at who the Kraken will take:
FORWARDS
ARI: Christian Fischer
CAR: Nino Niederreiter
COL: Joonas Donskoi
DAL: Adam Mascherin, RFA
EDM: Devon Shore
LAK: Brendan Lemieux
MIN: Nick Bjugstadt
NSH: Ryan Johansen
NYI: Josh Bailey
NYR: Julien Gauthier
SJS: Dylan Gambrell
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko
TBL: Yanni Gourde
TOR: Jaren McCann
VAN: Jake Virtanen
WSH: Conor Sheary
DEFENCE
ANA: Jacob Larsson
BOS: Jeremy Lauzon
BUF: Will Borgen RFA
CGY: Mark Giordano
CBS: Dean Kukan
DET: Troy Stetcher
FLA: Radko Gudas
OTT: Josh Brown
PHA: Shayne Gostisbehere
WPG: Dylan DeMelo
GOALTENDER
CHI: Malcolm Subban
MTL: Carey Price
NJD: Scott Wedgewood
PGH: Casey DeSmith
VAN: Braden Holtby
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