The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a different-looking roster next season due to Mitch Marner being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Yet, the Maple Leafs were also trying to shake up some of the bottom of the roster after another early playoff exit. With that, NHL analyst Alex Hobson of LeafsNation urges Toronto to sign veteran free agent forward Jeff Skinner.
“Jeff Skinner is somebody I was vouching for the Maple Leafs to sign last offseason,” Hobson wrote. “It reportedly came down to the Maple Leafs or the Edmonton Oilers, and he opted to join the latter. It didn’t go great for either party. While Skinner chipped in 16 goals, he only had 29 points by the time the season ended and appeared in only five games for the Oilers in the playoffs.
“Skinner is on the wrong side of 30 and, like Olofsson and Roslovic, doesn’t bring much on the defensive side of the game,” Hobson added. “But the fact that he scored 24 goals on a horrendous Sabres team two years ago is intriguing, and even if 29 points isn’t attractive on paper, he may appeal to Treliving as a middle-six, second-power-play-unit type of player.”
Skinner would be a good third-line winger who can add some much-needed secondary scoring to the Maple Leafs’ lineup. He also would likely sign for a cheap one-year deal, so it would be a low-risk move for Toronto.
Skinner has skated in 1078 career NHL games, recording 373 goals and 326 assists for 699 points. His career-high is 40 goals and 82 points.
Skinner Remains One of Top Free Agents Available
The first wave of free agency has been completed, but there are still several impact NHL players who remain unsigned.
One of the top players available is Skinner, as DailyFaceoff has him the fifth-ranked player available and was the 36th-best player in free agency.
Although Skinner was the 36th-best player available, AFP Analytics projects the veteran winger to sign a one-year, $2.5 million deal.
Skinner, of course, just completed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Oilers, so signing a similar deal to that does seem likely.
The former seventh overall pick can add some depth scoring to the lineup. But, he did struggle in the playoffs, which could hinder his market.
Maple Leafs GM Uncertain of Making a Splash in Free Agency
Despite trying to replace Marner, Toronto didn’t sign any of the top-ranked free agents.
Instead, the Maple Leafs could look to explore the trade market, as Maple Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving wasn’t sure if the team would add anyone in free agency.
“It’s looking thinner and thinner in that marketplace,” Treliving said. “We’re trying to give ourselves as much flexibility (as possible) rather than spending and not addressing that need and having some flexibility if an opportunity comes up later down the road, whether that be trade or otherwise. That’s probably the path right now that we’re looking more closely at.”
The Maple Leafs still have a clear need for another top-six forward, even after trading for Mattias Maccelli.
Toronto has just under $5 million in cap space.
Analyst Links Maple Leafs to 1078-Game Veteran for Depth Scoring