Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
According to Darren Dreger on TSN’s FirstUp program, the Toronto Maple Leafs are working on an extension for forwards Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann.
There aren’t too many pending free agents for the Toronto Maple Leafs, at least when it comes to their superstars after several of them already locked down extensions or were signed this past summer.
However the team does have a few names kicking around who are going to be free agents including Matias Maccelli, Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton.
Toronto already making progress on extensions for Laughton and McMann
But according to Darren Dreger, that’s seemingly not really an issue for Brad Treliving.
Speaking on the FirstUp program on Friday, Dreger revealed that the Maple Leafs are working on preliminary extension talks with McMann as well as working on a deal that would keep Laughton in town as well:
It feels like they might wait, even though they paid a premium for Laughton the never envisioned him being a fourth line center but he embraced the role. You can see he’s not a fourth; he’s three all day.
But the matchup fits nicely, and I am sure there is some conversation with him; there already has been with Bobby McMann. It’s more ‘What does an extension look like to you?’
Just to shift to McMann, if you look at the last two years at what 20-goal scorers get paid it’s $5-million a year. If you wanna get a discount it’s probably $4.8-$4.9M.
Then you have to look at other things. He developed in Toronto, breakaway speed, Berube loves him; there’s so many reasons you want to get it done, but they want to get it done sooner than later so Leafs Nation watch out.
That’s a huge bit of information considering all the reports showed McMann getting $4-million or so in salary, but now we get a clearer idea of Toronto’s direction going forward.
Toronto has to decide whether they can afford to splurge or extend
But that cost reaching $5-million is going to be a tough ask, though him being a late bloomer helps in that regard. You kinda know what you’re getting with him, so he’s more of a guarantee than a younger player at least right now.
The issue is that Toronto is going to have to end up paying for either a traded player this season which will eat into their cap, and also try their hand at the open market.
If Toronto were to acquire a player like Dougie Hamilton, even with retention that’s $7-million. Couple that with a $5-million McMann deal, and a roughly $3.5-million per year deal for Laughton — now you’ve used over half your available cap.
It also doesn’t factor in Maccelli who is a restricted free agent, and if they want to bring Troy Stecher back that’ll cost a couple million too.
So where the team finds the money is anyone’s guess, but it seems like that’s not going to stop Brad Treliving from trying to bring back one or both of his more under-appreciated players.
Previously on Hockey Patrol