*This archive was originally written in June 2023
With NHL free agency opening in less than 10 days, all 32 NHL teams will be in preparation mode. Before that, the 2024 NHL Draft will take place on June 28 and 29 where the general manager (GM) of each organization will hope to find future centrepieces for their club. However, most contenders will try and add that key piece through free agency to help their team immediately, and sometimes it works out.
Related: Top 3 Worst Free Agent Signings in Maple Leafs History
Contending clubs typically take a chance on support players on the open market, and often, it looks like a steal. This has happened many times for the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially during the Auston Matthews era, when former GM Kyle Dubas signed low-risk, high-reward players like David Kampf.
This article is the second of two parts that look at the best and worst Maple Leafs signings. These are the three best in franchise history.
Curtis Joseph
The Maple Leafs’ “Cujo” or Curtis Joseph, who was and still is adored by Leafs Nation, became one of the team’s most cherished players. In 1998, the team signed him to a four-year deal worth $24 million, which was a high price for a goalie. He joined Glen Healy and Felix Potvin, but in his first season with the team, he assumed the starting job and played in 67 games. He had a 35-24-7 record with a 2.56 goals-against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage (SV%). He finished second in Vezina Trophy voting and fourth in Hart Trophy (MVP) voting in his first season.
During his four-year stint with the Maple Leafs, Joseph appeared in 249 games with a 133-88-27 record. He was in the award race each year of his contract. In 1999-2000, he won the King Clancy Trophy (awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities) and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting. In 2000-01 and 2001-02, he finished eighth and tenth in Vezina voting, respectively.
He was traded to the Calgary Flames at the conclusion of his contract in June 2002 in exchange for a 2003 third-round pick, which was ultimately traded to the Minnesota Wild. Joseph did return to the Maple Leafs as a free agent again in 2008, as a 41-year-old. This time, he became the backup, appearing in 21 games, but only started 11 of them; his record was 5-9-1.
Borje Salming
The late great Borje Salming is the best defenceman to ever lace up skates for the Maple Leafs. It seems hard to believe that he wasn’t an original draft pick but was signed as a free agent on May 12, 1973. Finding his contract details was difficult, but some reports say that his deal was for one year with an AAV of $70,000, but this is just an estimate. Regardless of his financial value, his value as a player was priceless. Salming played 16 seasons with the club, quickly cementing his legacy as a Maple Leafs legend.
Related: The Hockey Writers’ Final Combined 2023 Draft Rankings – Top 32
During those 16 seasons, he scored 148 goals and 620 assists, which still stands as the most points by a defenceman in team history. He was always in the running for some award, whether it be the Calder Trophy (Best Rookie) in his first season, the Norris Trophy (Best Defenceman) or Lady Byng (Sportsmanship). Although he never won any of them, he was always in the discussion. He did, however, appear in three All-Star Games in three consecutive years, 1976, 1977 and 1978. Salming was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996, and in 2017 was named one of the best 100 players in NHL history. The Maple Leafs also gave him a spot on Legends Row outside of the Maple Leafs’ Scotiabank Arena.
John Tavares
For a while, it seemed like free agents didn’t want to come home to Toronto. The provincial tax rate is fairly high, as well as the team’s performance in the last decade has been poor. Well, that changed when John Tavares agreed to a mega deal to bring him home, worth $77 million over seven years, which comes with an AAV of $11 million per season. This is the largest free-agent contract in franchise history. Unfortunately, bringing the Cup home hasn’t happened yet, and he is entering the last year of his deal. While most don’t like the cap hit, he has still been a very productive player for the team.
In the last six seasons, the Maple Leafs’ captain has 184 goals and 235 assists, which includes his career-high in goals in 2018-19, with 47. This is the type of player that Dubas knew he would get. Unfortunately, Tavares has become the target of a lot of criticism due to his hefty cap hit. However, given his rate of production and the impact he has had on the team, this signing will always be one of the franchise’s better ones.
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Others could be listed here, but I think these are the three best signings in Maple Leafs’ history. Alexander Mogilny signing a four-year deal worth $22 million and Ed Belfour coming to the Maple Leafs on a two-year deal worth $13.5 million are honourable mentions that could have easily made this list. However, Joseph, Salming and Tavares are the types of contracts that NHL GMs love to be associated with.
