Toronto Maple Leafs: 6 Free Agent Signings and Trades They Still Need to Make

The free agency pool is starting to dwindle down now after a month has come and passed.

Teams threw big-time money at players in hopes of improving their teams.

The Maple Leafs lost out on Brad Richards but were able to sign Tim Connolly, who they hope can be the centre Phil Kessel needs to regain his 30-goal scoring capabilities he demonstrated in Boston.

Still, there are players out there that are UFAs that can help the Maple Leafs as well as trade possibilities. 

Ray Emery

Ray Emery will be partaking in training camp with the Chicago Blackhawks but strictly on a try-out basis with no contract binding the two together.

James Reimer was great in the second half of last season but it is easier to sprint half a season than a full one and Reimer will have to adjust to being a full-time starter for a whole season.

Craig Anderson are career back-up started out hot two years ago in Colorado but burned out by halfway and they had no backup to help shoulder the load. Emery can do that for Reimer.

Jonas Gustavsson has had heart problems and even if cleared one never knows with the heart and it is a serious manner.

Emery has experience, has the talent and paired with Reimer would give the Maple Leafs a formidable duo.

Chris Drury

After signing his grotesquely huge contract—five-year $35.25 million contract ($7.05 million cap hit), with the Rangers Drury was bought out before his final year making him a free agent.

The expectations coming with making over $7 million was too much for Drury but his leadership and having a Stanley Cup make him a valuable asset.

Drury can be a great third line player chipping in every so often offensively and also can play well in his own end.

At the right price—under $3 million Drury can be an asset to a young Maple Leafs team.

Cory Stillman

Stillman has had quite the NHL career and has two Stanley Cups to his name but is 37 and maybe at the end of his career.

Still, he can chip in offensively and can provide leadership, not to mention the experience he has at over 1000 career games played.

Stillman is also from Peterborough and would have a chance to be playing not only in his own Country but his home province.

Brad Boyes

The Buffalo Sabres had quite the offseason upgrading their team but sit almost $3.6 million over the salary cap limit and still needing to sign youngster Marc-Andre Grangnai who is an RFA.

One way to help give themselves some cap space would be to trade Brad Boyes who has one year left with a cap hit of $4 million.

Boyes is a former 40-goal scorer but his production fell off when the Blues started to fall.

It would not cost Toronto much as Buffalo will not want to take much salary on and give Toronto a proven goal scoring winger.

If he doesn’t work out then his contract is up but having a chance to play in his hometown province would be great motivation and helps take some of the pressure off of Phil Kessel.

Mike Green

There have been many Mike Green trade speculation reports going around the cyber world as the Capitals are right up against the salary cap.

Green will make $5.25 million this upcoming season before he becomes an RFA next summer looking for a raise.

The Maple Leafs signed John-Michael Liles to replace Tomas Kaberle—for one year, giving them an offesnsive defecenman but adding Green would be an upgrade over what even Kaberle brought before.

If the Maple Leafs could get Mike Komisarek into the deal it would be a great relief of $4.5 million. As well the Capitals could use Komisarek’s more defensive minded style of play over Green’s offensive side especially with the emergence of John Carlson.

Jason Spezza

Over the years Spezza has been the centre of trade speculation from his early years all the way up to now.

Spezza is a proven 20-goal scorer and when healthy a 30 goal scorer and 75-plus points man.

With Spezza and recently signed Tim Connolly it would give Toronto two top line centres that are playmakers and would help Toronto’s 23^rd ranked offence from a year ago.

Ottawa is in a rebuilding process and with the head coaching carousel continuing to spin a change of scenery for Spezza and the Senators would be nice.

As well Spezza was born in Toronto and would be closer to his family—albeit a few kilometres