2015 Leafs Free Agency Recap

By Alex Hobson

The day is July 2nd, 2015. The draft and free agency, two key parts of the Leafs' future, have passed. And boy, does the Leafs roster look different. From big trades to different signings, the Leafs clearly did a lot to give the team a new look. Perhaps the biggest move of this whole roster overhaul was the trade that either angered or satisfied Leafs fans. Superstar Phil Kessel was traded to Pittsburgh in a multi-player deal. Leafs management also stuck to their word and signed a couple of players to one year deals to fill in roster spots to give the rookies time to develop. So what were these moves and signings? Let's recap.

Might as well start with the biggest move, right? The Phil Kessel trade. There has been speculation that Kessel was going to be traded dating back as far as January. He simply doesn't fit in with our rebuilding team. And on July 1st, 2015, the speculation became a reality. The Leafs traded Phil Kessel along with defenseman Tim Erixon, prospect Tyler Biggs, and a second round pick in 2016 (owned previously by Pittsburgh) in exchange for forward Nick Spaling, prospect Kasperi Kapanen, prospect Scott Harrington, a conditional first round pick in 2016 and a third round pick in 2016 (from New Jersey). This move created a storm upon Leafs fans. Some thought they could have gotten much more, some believe it was a great trade. If you look at statistics, this was a good trade for both teams. Pittsburgh gets an elite scorer to play alongside of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and Toronto gets two key prospects that both have a strong chance at becoming regular NHLers, along with a first round pick, a thirs, and a good depth player in Spaling. Of course, this trade is a great start to the Leafs' rebuild. Kessel wasn't going to be a player you could keep around during a rebuild due to his hefty cap, and we got a large return for him. This is easily the largest move the Leafs made during free agency, but that doesn't make the other ones non-important. So what else did they do?

The first signing of the day was the acquisition of defenseman Matt Hunwick. The Leafs brought him in on a two year contract worth $2.4 million with an AAV of $1.2 million. This acquisition was easily a depth signing for the Leafs, and if Hunwick cracks the lineup next year, then he will more than likely fill in the role of a sixth or seventh defenseman on the team. Especially with the many NHL ready defenseman we have including Phaneuf, Rielly, Gardiner, Percy, Marincin, Robidas, Polak, Brennan, and Granberg. Hunwick should fill in a nice depth role, and there's always the offchance that we ship him to a contender at the trade deadling for a draft pick or prospect.

The second signing of the day came when the Leafs inked forward P.A Parenteau to a one year deal worth $1.5 million. This was another safe signing for the Leafs. After Parenteau was bought out by his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, he took at a shot at the Habs' head coach, Michel Therrien, saying "It will be nice to play for a coach that actually wants to have me." seeing that Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was the one who initially talked to Parenteau and asked him if he'd like to sign. After a bad season, Parenteau will likely look to redeem himself, and with his short contract this could potentially be a low-risk high-reward deal for the Leafs. A third signing came later in the day when the Leafs signed forward Mark Arcobello to a one year contract worth $1.1 million. Arcobello moved around the league quite a bit last year, moving to teams such as Edmonton, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Arizona, but he is yet another safe signing to a one year deal that we could potentially trade at the deadline for prospects or picks.

The fourth and final signing of the day was bringing back former leaf Daniel Winnik on a two year deal worth $4.5 million with an AAV of $2.25 million per year. Last year, the Leafs brought in Winnik on a cheap contract for one year, and he ended up having a solid campaign with the Leafs, racking up a decent amount of points and serving the Leafs both offensively and defensively. A native of Toronto, ON, he's stated that he's very excited to be a member of the Leafs for the next two years, and if he's not traded by deadline day, there's a chance he remains with the team for at least another year.

There it is, Leafs fans, your 2015 Leafs free agency recap. One big trade, four nice signings, and a couple of other minor moves, such as the re-signing of forward Richard Panik to a one year deal. There is still lots of work to be done, including the possible trading of other core players such as Tyler Bozak, who is expected to be dealt before training camp in September, and Joffrey Lupul, who might provide the buds with a challenge given his cap hit and injury history. That being said, there is lots to be excited about in the future if you're a Leafs fan. What do you think about the transactions, Leafs fans? Weigh in below.