Breaking: The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to keep… their roster before the… NHL season begins.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to keep… their roster before the… NHL season begins.
As the summer progresses and the free-agent frenzy calms, unsigned free agents face increasing difficulty securing contracts. This creates an opportunity for teams like the Maple Leafs to invite players to training camp on Professional Try Out (PTO) deals. PTOs provide a low-risk way for teams and players to see if they are a good fit.
Here are three players the Maple Leafs should consider inviting to camp on PTOs:
1. James van Riemsdyk (JVR): Some fans might be skeptical, but JVR could offer valuable depth scoring. Last season, he played 71 games with the Boston Bruins, scoring 11 goals and 38 points, mostly in a bottom-six role. He could be a good fit for the Leafs’ third line and help on the second powerplay unit. The cost would likely be around one million per season, if not the league minimum.
2. Kevin Shattenkirk: Although older, Shattenkirk could still be useful, having scored 24 points with the Boston Bruins last season as a bottom-pairing defenseman. He might follow a path similar to Mark Giordano with the Leafs. With a projected cap hit of $1.05 million, he could be a solid, cost-effective addition to the bottom pairing.
3. Blake Wheeler: Despite a tough, injury-plagued season with the New York Rangers, Wheeler managed 21 points. His experience and a potential league-minimum cap hit of around $800K make him an attractive PTO candidate. He could provide depth and veteran leadership at a low cost.
These PTO options offer the Leafs a chance to add depth and experience without significant financial risk.
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