On Friday, when Brandon Saad ended the contract by the Blues of St. Louis, one of the teams reported interested in his services will be the Maple Leafs of Toronto.
According to Chris Johnston of TSN during the edition Thursday of Insider TradingThe Maple Leafs will be one of the many teams that inquire about the 32 -year -old man once he becomes a free agent.
Saad was placed in derogation by Saint-Louis on Tuesday and if he was cleared, which he did, he would be sent to the Thunderbirds of Springfield, the Ahl of the Blues affiliate. However, Saad was not willing to play in the AHL, so the striker and Saint-Louis agreed to terminate his contract.
The veteran striker was placed again on derogations Thursday So that the two parties can end their agreement on Friday. Saad was signed next season with a ceiling of $ 4.5 million.
“One of these teams that I expect to make a real push here would be the Toronto Maple Leafs. Obviously, Toronto is on the market for a center, but interested in seeing if Saad may consider for them As a potential wing option, “Johnston reported.
“But it will have options and the cost will be the determining factor of some of these teams because, obviously, Saad has moved away from this money. It will not necessarily be cheap.”
Saad has seven goals and nine assists in 43 games this season with the Blues. He is currently ninth among the players of St. Louis in points. The veteran striker signed a $ 22.5 million contract over five years with the club in July 2021.
Related: Report: Maple Leafs targeting “affordable centers” before the NHL trade deadline
As Johnston has reported, the Maple Leafs are on the market for a center, which means that this adjustment may not work. However, Saad could bring some experience and a deep score to a bottom bottom which had trouble finding the back of the net this season.
The only problem: Saad will probably not be cheap, as Johnston has reported. Toronto currently has just over $ 2 million in the ceiling space, According to puckpedia.com. This does not include Anthony Stolarz or Calle Jarnkrok (both on the long -term injured reserve), the combined ceiling of which is $ 4.6 million.
Jani Hakanpaa is also on Ltir with a ceiling of $ 1.47 million, which also wonders if the decision to sign SAAD is possible. However, he has two Stanley cuts, and played under the head coach of the Maple Leafs Craig Berube in Saint-Louis.
Saad scored 42 points (26 goals and 16 assists) in 82 games last season with the Blues. The score could always be there, which could be advantageous for Toronto. It is simply a question of knowing whether the Maple Leafs can hold it under the cap and which other teams will offer him once he will become a free agent on Friday.
Saad has 260 goals and 255 assists in 906 career games, separated between the Blues, the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche. He won his two Stanley cups with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.
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