** Author’s Update: Tyler Bertuzzi has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs at a cap hit of $5.5 million. The reports are the Leafs pitched to him yesterday but thought they would be outbid by another team. When Bertuzzi’s camp circled back, the two sides got it done.
Even though the Toronto Maple Leafs were relatively quiet on Day 1 of NHL Free Agency, the team wasted no time in their quest to add toughness to their roster. And, after signing Ryan Reaves to a three-year deal, new general manager Brad Treliving has reportedly set his sights on two gritty unrestricted free-agent forwards: Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi.
While the Boston Bruins have expressed their desire to retain Bertuzzi, the feisty forward is determined to explore the market and secure the best possible contract terms. Despite the chaos of Day 1 of NHL Free Agency, both Bertuzzi and Domi had yet to find new teams, leaving their futures uncertain.
The Maple Leafs and Tyler Bertuzzi
During a segment on NHL Network, Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Maple Leafs had expressed interest in both Bertuzzi and Domi. He mentioned that Toronto was one of the teams keen on engaging in talks with Bertuzzi, and his reports were echoed by a number of other insiders who believed the Leafs are keeping a close eye on what the former Bruin and Detroit Red Wings’ forward intends to do.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweeted that leading up to the free agency period, the Maple Leafs had not made an offer to Michael Bunting. The hint here is that they wanted to keep things open with a player like Bertuzzi in mind. Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox highlighted the Maple Leafs’ interest in Bertuzzi, Josh Bailey, Domi, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the last of which ultimately chose to sign with the Florida Panthers.
None really dug deep into how the Leafs would make it work on the salary cap, but for Bertuzzi to fit in Toronto, without LTIR help, there would potentially need to be a trade to move salary out.
The Maple Leafs and Max Domi
Chris Johnston of TSN and NorthStar Bets noted on Twitter that the Maple Leafs were still showing interest in Max Domi as time passed on Day 1 of free agency. He’s got some bite to his game, is a journeyman who moves around a lot, and with former ties to the team (Tie Domi), plus a natural desire to play a physical brand of hockey while adding a bit of offense at a lower cost than Bertuzzi, Domi makes sense.
Related: Maple Leafs Sign John Klingberg to One-Year Contract
Pagnotta tweeted, “As Max Domi weighs his options, with Toronto and Nashville among them, the Maple Leafs seem to be slow playing things. His energy would be a welcomed fit in a top-9 role. A multi-year would be likely if they can agree on the $.” But, the Leafs signed John Klingberg to a $4.1 million deal and have only $443K in cap space, according to CapFriendly. Obviously, even if Domi was willing to sign a team-friendly deal, the Leafs would need to make room for Domi to work.
Maple Leafs Trying to Replace Players They Lost?
With the departures of a few key forwards, some Maple Leafs’ fans expressed their optimism about the team potentially signing both Domi and Bertuzzi, considering them as solid replacements. Seeing Ryan O’Reilly, Michael Bunting, and Noel Acciari leave was probably not an easy pill to swallow. The additions of Domi and Bertuzzi would undoubtedly bring a notable boost to the team’s toughness and replace a good portion of the offense the Leafs are expected to lose.
Reports suggest that the Maple Leafs are prepared to make a pitch to Bertuzzi and are also looking to bolster their defensive corps with at least one defenseman. All the while, the team continues to work on contract extensions for Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Clearly, there isn’t room for everyone.
As the Maple Leafs continue their pursuit of tougher players in free agency, it remains to be seen if they can secure the services of both or either Bertuzzi and Domi. The additions of these skilled and physical forwards would undoubtedly provide a significant boost to the team’s competitive edge and add depth to their lineup for the upcoming season. It’s just not clear how realistic their aspirations are to land either player.