The Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing to make a deep postseason run and made their intentions to win it all known with multiple acquisitions at the 2024 Trade Deadline. They brought in Ilya Lyubushkin, Connor Dewar, and Joel Edmundson to bolster their depth heading into the playoffs, and are hopeful they can be successful this postseason. While all three of their new additions are on expiring contracts, there are some other current roster players who likely won’t be on the team next season. In this article, we take a look at three of those players who likely won’t be on the Maple Leafs in 2024-25.
T.J. Brodie
Defenceman T.J. Brodie is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) coming off a four-year deal worth $5 million per season. At 6-foot-1, 179 pounds, Brodie, who was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, joined the Maple Leafs in the 2020-21 season and has spent the past four seasons with them. While he has been a solid defender since joining the team and has maintained a solid amount of secondary offensive production, his price tag might be a bit too high as he looks for a new deal for next season and beyond.
This season, Brodie has no goals and 21 assists through 70 games. At the time of this article, Brodie has played 900 games, scoring 55 goals and adding 288 assists for 343 points which comes out to 0.38 points-per-game average. His defensive ability is solid and he has been a welcomed addition to the Maple Leafs’ defense core since joining the team, but he may not be able to return to the team unless his asking price drops and he is willing to play a lesser role next season. He is an aging defender who can provide depth, but not at a heavy price tag.
Martin Jones
Goaltender Martin Jones is an aging netminder who still has some skill left in the tank at 34 years old. He is a pending UFA, and with Joseph Woll likely to be named the starting goalie moving forward — as well as the potential returns of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov — there will simply be no room for Jones anymore. He will surely get a contract with another team in the offseason, but the Maple Leafs won’t be able to bring him back.
This season, Jones has played 21 games, posting a 2.70 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .908 save percentage (SV%). In the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Toronto Marlies this season, Jones played five games posting a 3.37 GAA and a .870 SV%. He will likely get a one or two-year contract worth close to the minimum contract, but it will be with the sixth team of his career.
One of Tyler Bertuzzi or Max Domi
It would be nice for the Maple Leafs to be able to bring back both Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi after the strong seasons they’ve both been having, but it doesn’t seem likely both will return. At the time of this article, Bertuzzi has scored 18 goals and added 19 assists for 37 points through 71 games while Domi has scored eight goals and added 33 assists for 41 points through 73 games. Both forwards are pending UFAs and at age 28, will likely be looking for stability on their next contract with longer deals. The team may have to choose one or the other.
The Maple Leafs have just under $21 million to spend in the offseason. They will have to use that money to bring back at least one of their goaltenders, re-sign several other pending UFAs, as well as some restricted free agents who could be looking for a raise. Unfortunately, one of them will likely hit the open market and end up on a new team next season.
The Maple Leafs will have enough money to try and make a splash in free agency, but they’ll need to make some tough decisions. Lyubushkin and Edmundson may end up hitting the open market, but I would predict they try and bring them both back. Hopefully, the Maple Leafs can make the right decisions and ice another competitive team in the 2024-25 season.