We’ve officially entered the “dog days of summer.” At this time of year, the only actual hockey news concentrates on the business side of the sport, as NHL insiders take a well-deserved sabbatical. Most Toronto Maple Leafs fans look to the Toronto Blue Jays, but they are struggling this season, so attention has shifted back to the NHL club, and fans are wondering what the roster will look like next season. Personally, I don’t believe the squad listed on PuckPedia or CapWages is the opening night roster. There are numerous questions about what general manager Brad Treliving could still do to better his team.
He has already worked on the blue line and made significant changes. However, several details remain unclear, such as Jani Hakanpaa’s knee condition and if he will be officially acknowledged as a Maple Leafs member. Then there’s the forward group, which has the same 12 players (excluding Tyler Bertuzzi) that lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
There should be some modifications there, right? Could David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok be on the move to free up cap space? Could Ryan Reaves be waived following training camp? The biggest issue is whether the Maple Leafs will return with the same Core Four.
Unfortunately, there have been no responses to those questions, implying that the Maple Leafs have approximately $1.25 million in cap room (according to PuckPedia) without the Hakanpaa deal and Cade Webber starting in the American Hockey League (AHL). This also includes the recent signing of Connor Dewar to a one-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.18 million, as well as Matt Murray’s debut in the AHL. If they waive or sell Conor Timmins, they may free up an additional $1.1 million in cap space, giving them $2.3 million to target players on professional tryouts. Remember that they only get paid if the PTO leads to a contract with the team. With that, let’s have a look at some.
Jarrod Tinordi
Jarrod Tinordi, a stout defenseman, is first up. Treliving knows exactly what he wants his blue line to look like: a lot of hard-to-play-against defenders and a few puck movers. If the Hakanpaa deal is not signed, Tinordi would be a decent option. He doesn’t do as much as a Chris Tanev-style defenseman, but he performs his job well. He likes to mix things up; he gets right into the fight and doesn’t back down, which fits Treliving and head coach Craig Berube’s style of hockey.
Tinordi wasn’t a daily NHLer until he spent the final two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, and even then, he only participated in 52 games. That is fantastic; he is used to playing a depth defenseman role throughout his entire career, which is what the Maple Leafs require.
Tinordi is not being signed to be an everyday contributor on the blue line because the team already has six NHL defensemen. They require 40-45 games from him, in which he will play hard and execute his job. His mission is to hit anything that moves that is wearing the opposing team’s uniform, block shots, and defend his goalie’s crease. It appears easy, doesn’t it? No, it isn’t; the role requires a certain type of player to flourish, and he is one of them. Last season, he appeared in 52 games for the aforementioned Blackhawks, recording nine points (all assists), 94 blocks, and 174 hits. That is a great depth defenseman for Treliving’s blue line.
Furthermore, because he is on a PTO, if he struggles in training camp, the Maple Leafs have backup options in Dakota Mermis and Philippe Myers, both of whom are on two-way contracts.
Nick Cousins
Next up is Nick Cousins; despite his reputation as a “rat” player, he could easily replace Jarnkrok, Kampf, or even Reaves. Now, all three of those players play very different positions, but Cousins can match their offensive performance for a lower cost. He also has a similar style to Max Domi and former Maple Leaf Michael Bunting, in that he can get under their opponents’ skin and stir the pot. Cousins is known for playing down the center, but he can also play on the wing, which might help build a very mentally challenging line to play against if he plays on the team’s fourth line with Reaves and Kampf.
As previously said, Cousins can contribute offensively, albeit last season was a low year, with only 15 points in 69 games for the Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. During the 2022-23 season, he had his finest statistical season yet, scoring nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 79 games. If he can equal or even come close to that on the Maple Leafs’ fourth line, he may be a good addition. Again, because it was a PTO, they would not sign him to a contract; merely a tryout.
Treliving could technically add all three of these guys on a PTO while only signing one. It all hinges on their performance in camp and the team’s cap predicament. Given that Cousins is still looking for a home, and based on his reputation, he would most likely be prepared to accept less to play for a playoff contender.
