The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed an important puzzle piece on Monday with Jake McCabe’s new five-year deal.
That’s one pending free agent off the to-do list, but there are many more to handle – 12 on the NHL roster.
The most significant pending free agents include UFAs Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and RFA Matthew Knies.
With McCabe signed, GM Brad Treliving’s primary focus should turn to Knies unless Tavares is fine with taking a massive cut on his $11-million cap hit. Signing those two would give the Maple Leafs a better idea of the salary cap space they’ll have left for Marner and the future of the Core Four.
"Stability was really important to me."
With a young family, Jake McCabe wanted to take out some of the uncertainty of where he'd be playing for the next little while and term was a key motivator. ⤵️https://t.co/7B1b4wBeBR— David Alter (@dalter) October 28, 2024
Knies is off to a strong start to the season, posting four goals and five points in nine games. The 22-year-old currently earns $925,000 per year, so he’ll get a healthy raise on his next contract. A bridge deal for two or three seasons would benefit both parties as he blossoms and finds his peak form.
Knies shouldn’t break the bank on a new deal, but a serious bump in cap hit to between $5 million and $6 million would be a solid compromise that allows him to ask for more money in 2027 or 2028.
Meanwhile, Tavares reportedly knows people expect him to take a huge pay cut if he wants to remain a Leaf.
Depending on how low Tavares will want to go on another contract, perhaps he would also take a $6-million cap hit for two or three years as well. That would split his original average annual value between him and Knies.
If Tavares and Knies agree to those predicted proposals, there would be room for Marner to sign for a similar cap hit to his current $10.9 million.
With the cap ceiling likely rising to about $93 million next season, the Leafs should have enough space to keep the Core Four of Auston Matthews, Marner, Tavares and William Nylander together.
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That said, if Tavares doesn’t take enough of a decrease in salary, he’ll probably be on another NHL team next season. Either way, Marner probably should be the last piece of the puzzle to be signed long-term.
If Marner wants more than $11 million per year, perhaps the Leafs should also prepare for a future without him on the squad. Marner hasn’t had enough playoff success to be demanding a notable raise, and Treliving could even feel pressure to get something for Marner in the trade market if his contract asks are too great.
Knies is part of the Leafs’ long-term future. Tavares’ best days may be behind him, but he has value under the right circumstances. Marner is a wild card, so a new deal for him can briefly go on the back burner. Balancing everyone’s demands will be delicate work, but there is a path for the Leafs to keep their core together.
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News Summary:
- Who Should The Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Sign Next After McCabe?
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