The Toronto Maple Leafs clearly need two right-side defensemen ranked in the top four. In light of this, we looked through Spotrac’s list of the top 12 right-handed unrestricted free agents. We’ll examine our top six picks here, without any particular ranking.
UFA First Line of Defense: Tyler Myers
34-year-old Tyler Myers is 6-foot-8 and weighs 230 pounds. His previous deal paid $6 million a season for five years. Myers has played in 995 games in his career, averaging 21:53 minutes on the ice per contest. His 371 points came from 93 goals and 278 assists, good for a plus/minus rating of plus-9. He has also delivered 1,243 hits and stopped 1,514 shots.
Myers has played 61 games in the playoffs, averaging 20:52 minutes on the ice. He has nine assists and seven goals for 16 points, with a plus/minus of minus-3. He had five goals and 24 assists for 29 points in 77 games with an average ice time of 18:57 during the 2023–24 campaign, and a plus/minus rating of plus–16. In addition, he delivered 110 hits and stopped 136 shots.
We don’t see anyone talking about Myers as a fit for the Maple Leafs after media reports. We have to admit, we’re curious as to why. Myers was a member of the Vancouver Canucks top-four defense for the majority of the previous campaign. Even though he played fewer minutes overall than the previous season, he still averaged almost a minute more than Nikita Zadorov—who seems to be the talk of the town.
Keep in mind that Zadorov is 29 and Myers is 34. Zadorov will play for a very long time after Myers retires. On the other hand, due to his younger age compared to Zadorov, Myers will probably be considerably less expensive. In addition, he stands two inches taller than Zadorov, who is six feet six, and is a right-hander (Zadorov is a lefty). This past season, Myers was plus-16 to Zadorov’s plus-12, with ten more points than Zadorov. Myers is the biggest of them all if Toronto general manager (GM) Brad Treliving is a big fan. Furthermore, Myers’ style of play would mesh perfectly with Craig Berube’s coaching philosophy.
Chris Tanev, UFA Defenseman No. Two
Chris Tanev weighs 195 pounds, stands 6 feet 2 inches tall, and is 34 years old. His previous deal paid $4.5 million a season for four years. With an average ice time of 19:59 across 792 games, he has had an outstanding career. With 33 goals and 157 assists during his career, he has accumulated 190 points with an outstanding plus/minus rating of plus-122. He has delivered 382 hits and stopped 1,652 shots in defense.
Tanev has participated in 60 playoff games, averaging 20:23 of ice time per contest. He has one goal and twelve assists in these crucial games, good for 13 points and a plus/minus rating of plus-15. He has also blocked 174 shots and taken 56 shots. Tanev played in 75 games during the 2023–24 season, averaging 19:41 of ice time per contest. Along with 207 blocked shots, 45 hits, and a stellar plus/minus rating of plus-22, he contributed two goals, 17 assists, and 19 points.
Tanev has consistently produced strong defensive stats. Despite his lack of offensive production, he consistently generates positive underlying numbers. Using plus/minus as an example, Tanev is a plus-122 overall and has only had one negative result in his 15-year career (minus-8 in 2015–16). He was plus-22 in the previous season. He has never been a minus player in the playoffs. That must have some significance. Tanev’s ability to block shots is one of his more noticeable advantages. His career total of blocks is 1,652. When it comes to hitting, he is not physical. His career total of hits is just 337.
It makes sense that Treliving and Tanev could work together again as he signed his most recent contract. Tanev has previously sustained injuries. In his career, he has only participated in 82 games. Unless the term was used to lower the AAV in light of the possibility that Tanev would experience issues near the end of the contract, it wouldn’t be wise to include too much term in a deal.
Third UFA Defenseman: Brett Pesce
Brett Pesce weighs 201 pounds and stands 6 feet 3 inches. His previous deal paid $4.025 million a season for six years. With an average ice time of 21:05 across 627 games, Pesce has had a successful career. During his career, he has accumulated 198 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-92, scoring 39 goals and dishing out 159 assists. He has delivered 337 hits and stopped 958 shots in defense.
Pesce has played in fifty-seven playoff games, averaging twenty-three minutes on the ice. He has five goals and sixteen assists in these high-stakes games, for a total of 21 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-2, in addition to 57 hits and 121 blocked shots. Pesce played in 70 games during the 2023–24 season, averaging 20:17 minutes on the ice per contest. Along with 113 blocked shots, 25 hits, and a plus/minus rating of plus-10, he finished with three goals and ten assists for 13 points.
Pesce has played more than 20 minutes a game on average since his second season. He has played for the Carolina Hurricanes, a team long renowned for their excellent defensive play, for the entirety of his professional career. One of the reasons the Hurricanes are known for their strong defense is Pesce.
Pesce’s postseason usage has increased by more than two minutes per game in the past. Pesce’s injury in Game 2 of the first round may have contributed to the Hurricanes’ defeat in the second round of the 2024 Postseason. He’s not showy, but he gets the job done and eats minutes. He’s in his prime at 29. Since he’s a UFA, the bidding might be fierce.
Matt Dumba, the fourth UFA defenseman
Matt Dumba weighs 180 pounds and is 30 years old. His previous deal paid $6 million a season for six years. With an average ice time of 20:31 across 674 games, Dumba has had a significant career. Over his career, he has accumulated 248 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-29, scoring 83 goals and dishing out 165 assists. He has delivered 1,019 hits and stopped 807 shots in defense.
Dumba has played in 54 playoff games, averaging 20:36 minutes on the ice per contest. He has five goals and ten assists in these crucial games, for a total of 15 points and a plus/minus rating of minus-6. He has also had 129 hits and 80 blocked shots. Dumba played 76 games in the 2023–24 season, averaging 19:44 of ice time. Along with 202 hits, 108 blocked shots, and a plus/minus rating of minus-18, he contributed four goals and eight assists for a total of 12 points.
Dumba is primarily recognized for his physique. When he’s on the ice, you have to keep your head up. He’s not big, but he plays big. On the negative side, he has been known to get caught out of position and receives criticism for his inconsistent play. Dumba is a plus-29 in his career, but in the last six years, he has been minus-23. But it’s important to remember that he was minus-13 in 58 games for a poor Arizona Coyotes team last season, which contributed to that negative plus/minus figure. Dumba is without a doubt one of the top four defensemen in the NHL. However, he does not always play strong defense like some other UFAs that are available.
Defenseman Five for the UFA: Brandon Montour
Thirty-year-old Brandon Montour is six feet tall and weighs 195 pounds. His most recent deal paid $3.5 million a season for three years. With an average ice time of 21:04 over 520 games, Montour has had a stellar career. In his professional career, he has accumulated 252 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-40, 66 goals, and 186 assists. He has delivered 590 hits and stopped 568 shots in defense.
Montour has played in 82 playoff games, averaging 21:58 minutes on the ice. He has contributed 24 assists and 11 goals for 35 points (plus/minus of plus-8) in these high-stakes games, along with 116 hits and 98 blocked shots. Montour played 66 games in the 2023–24 season, averaging 23:27 minutes on the ice per contest. He finished with a plus/minus rating of plus-1, 104 hits, 67 blocked shots, and 33 points from eight goals and 25 assists.
Perhaps the best available defenseman overall is Montour. Whether it’s with the Panthers or another team, he’ll probably receive a sizable raise in his next contract. If the Panthers didn’t make every effort to retain him, we would be shocked. When bidding for their services against teams like Toronto, they also have a tax advantage.
Matt Roy, UFA Defenseman No. 6
29, 200 pounds, and 6 feet 1 inch is Matt Roy. His previous deal paid $3.15 million a season for three years. Having played in 369 games with an average ice time of 19:28, he has also had a successful career. During his career, he has accumulated 106 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-67, 24 goals, and 82 assists. He has delivered 626 hits and stopped 667 shots in defense.
Roy has played in 18 playoff games, averaging 20:45 minutes on the ice. He has one goal and five assists in these games, for a total of six points and a plus/minus rating of plus-2. He has also had 59 hits and 46 blocked shots. He played in 81 games during the 2023–24 season, averaging 20:54 minutes on the ice per contest. He had a plus/minus rating of plus-21, five goals, 20 assists, 152 hits, and 197 blocked shots for a total of 25 points.
Roy could be the ideal surprise pick for the Maple Leafs. Considering that he has played for a middle-of-the-road team like the Los Angeles Kings his entire career, his numbers indicate he has a well-balanced all-around game.
Which Two of the Six Defensemen Should the Maple Leafs Target?
In no specific order, Tyler Myers and Matt Roy are our two selections for the Maple Leafs. Myers is everything Treliving and the majority of Maple Leafs supporters want in a player, despite his age of 34. He is large, powerful, and robust. Additionally, he’s been reasonably healthy, which is noteworthy for a physically strong player of his size. On the ice, he is a formidable presence. This past season, Myers didn’t exhibit any signs of a decline in his play. Roy’s advanced age may work to his advantage. If the Maple Leafs were to commit to a $5 million deal with an extended term, he might be a safer bet given this age differential.
Even though they might not be the best options this offseason, these two players might be the best value given their price. The Maple Leafs need two defensemen and can afford to spend about $10 million on them. In all likelihood, they could sign these two for that sum of money.
[Note: I would like to express my gratitude to Stan Smith, a devoted Maple Leafs fan, for working with me on this post. You can find Stan’s Facebook profile here.]
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