The Maple Leafs show faith in Justin Holl — safe from the Kraken — but the protected list is just the start
Holl #Holl
So, who will the Maple Leafs be saying goodbye to?
With the expansion draft looming Wednesday, the Leafs protected eight skaters and one goalie by Saturday’s deadline, with lists released Sunday. The Seattle Kraken will have to keep their hands off Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Jake Muzzin, Justin Holl and Jack Campbell.
There was really no debate about four of the forwards, three defencemen and the goalie. But the inclusion of Holl, a 29-year-old middle-pair defenceman, over forwards Alex Kerfoot and just-acquired Jared McCann is sure to spark debate around the team — at least until Seattle makes its selection.
Exposed to the Kraken are Kerfoot, McCann, Travis Dermott, Wayne Simmonds, Jason Spezza, Pierre Engvall and Adam Brooks. If the Kraken take McCann, the 25-year-old will have indeed acted as insurance to keep the versatile Kerfoot. You could look at it as the Leafs losing a prospect (Filip Hallander) and a 2023 seventh-round pick in the expansion process. That was the price they paid to the Penguins, who figured they’d lose McCann to Seattle for nothing otherwise.
If the Kraken take Kerfoot, then McCann is his replacement and cheaper to boot. Kerfoot has one year left at $3.5 million (U.S.), McCann one year at $2.94 million. The difference of about $600,000 may not sound like much. But for the Leafs, who only have about $6.4 million in cap space as it stands, it could be a difference maker.
There was a case to be made to protect Dermott, five years younger than Holl, or seven forwards (including Kerfoot and McCann) but only three defencemen, meaning both Holl and Dermott would be exposed. But the Leafs chose to put their faith in Holl — a lanky, late-blooming, right-handed defenceman.
Now Seattle general manager Ron Francis has a roster to build. He can also speak with any pending free agent, holding the same rights as the player’s team. That gives Francis the chance to offer eight-year deals to the likes of Zach Hyman, Taylor Hall and Dougie Hamilton if so inclined. He has a lot to go over in the next few days.
Goaltenders
It’s believed Francis has a deal in place for Florida free-agent goalie Chris Driedger. But some other options — notably Montreal star Carey Price — were left unprotected.
Price would be a tempting choice, given that he’s from the Pacific Northwest and a bona fide star. It would be a bit like how Marc-André Fleury fell into the lap of the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft four years ago. Price had to waive his no-movement clause.
The logic, on behalf of Montreal GM Marc Bergevin, goes like this: Price is very expensive with a $10.5-million cap hit and owed $52.5 million over the next five years. He must doubt Francis will bite. This allowed Bergevin to protect Price’s backup, Jake Allen, who could be a No. 1 goalie elsewhere and might have been a Seattle target. Allen carried the Canadiens in the regular season when Price was hurt, while Price took over for the run to the Stanley Cup final. Price, however, may welcome a move closer to his B.C. home.
Other tempting goalies: Minnesota’s Kaapo Kahkonen, Vancouver’s Braden Holtby, Ottawa’s Matt Murray, Pittsburgh’s Casey DeSmith and San Jose’s Martin Jones.
Defencemen
There’s a joke to be made about who won the Shea Weber-P.K. Subban trade with both left exposed. Weber’s future is in doubt because of injuries, and Subban is probably not worth the $9-million cap hit anymore.
There are leadership types available, including Calgary captain Mark Giordano, and some decent puck-movers in Winnipeg’s Dylan DeMelo, Anaheim’s Kevin Shattenkirk and Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere. Ottawa’s Josh Brown — at six-foot-five and 27 years of age with a $1.2-million contract — could be worth a shot. He’s probably the best available player from the Senators, and shoots right-handed.
Francis could also go the free-agent route here for Carolina’s Hamilton or Vince Dunn of St. Louis. Boston’s Jeremy Lauzon, Detroit’s Troy Stetcher and Columbus’s Dean Kukan would also be welcome additions to any team’s bottom pair.
Forwards
The Tampa Bay Lightning have to be thankful they’re only going to lose one player. Will it be Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat, Alex Killorn or Tyler Johnson? Francis could go off the board and try to squeeze Lightning GM Julien BriseBois for a bit more, to take some cap headaches off his hands. But Gourde could easily be the Kraken’s No. 1 centre between the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko and perhaps Washington’s Conor Sheary. Tarasenko has asked for a trade from St. Louis.
A second line could feature Nashville’s Ryan Johansen, looking for a fresh start after a 22-point season, with Carolina’s Nino Niederreiter and Florida’s Joonas Donskoi — although if the Driedger reports are correct, the rest of Florida’s players are off the boards. Maybe Francis takes the Flyers’ James van Riemsdyk and leaves Gostisbehere alone.
The Leafs’ Kerfoot could centre a third line with the Islanders’ Josh Bailey or Jordan Eberle plus the Kings’ Brendan Lemieux. Edmonton’s six-foot-one Devin Shore might work in the middle on a big, youthful fourth line with six-foot-five Julien Gauthier of the New York Rangers and six-foot-two Christian Fischer of the Arizona Coyotes.
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