Our UFA target series wraps up by examining a handful of depth forward options for the Maple Leafs on the open market this offseason.
As of now, the Leafs‘ roster consists of the following up front:
Top Six Forwards: Matthews, Knies, Nylander, McMann/Domi
Bottom Six Forwards: McMann/Domi, Laughton, Holmberg, Jarnkrok
There is a ton of room for volatility there — chief among the question marks are whether they can shed David Kampf’s contract, and if Calle Jarnkrok will remain on the team — but no matter how we boil it down, the Leafs need to add three or four quality forwards, depending on who they retain.
– Part 1 of the Free Agent Targets series
In case you missed it, I looked at three difference-makers of potential interest to the Leafs in Part 1, as well as some middle-six forward options in Part 2.
Brandon Tanev
- 2024-25 Season: 79 games, 10 goals, 22 points, 13:14 per game, 45.25 CF%, 47.99 xGF%
- 2025 Playoffs: 13 games, 0 goals, 0 points, 10:57 per game
- Level of interest: Similar to Beauvillier, it depends on the Leafs‘ other moves this offseason and the price to sign Tanev over the other bottom-six options. But there is an admitted soft spot for Tanev because he’d be a fun player/story in Toronto.
Things to Like
Brandon Tanev is a true energizer bunny out on the ice, flying around the ice, frustrating opponents, hitting, and outworking opponents. Like his brother, he will lay his body on the line as he finished second among all forwards in blocked shots this season. Tanev scored 10 goals this season, the fourth time in the past seven seasons he reached double digits, so he can chip in a little offense as well. Mainly, though, Tanev has been a really good defensive winger who can kill penalties and forecheck throughout his career.
Tanev has been a hard player to evaluate on a poor team like Seattle, but his game showed real signs of life down the stretch with Winnipeg after the acquisition by the Jets. He drove play forward despite tough defensive responsibilities and drew even in goals at five-on-five. He’ll go to the net and cause havoc. Overall, he’s a role player who knows his role.
Causes for Concern
Unlike every other player listed in this series so far, Tanev is strictly a fourth liner. He went pointless in 13 playoff games and has one season over 30 points in his entire career. While he’s full marks for effort, defensive acumen, energy, and personality, he’s limited on half the ice.
Tanev is also turning 34 at the end of the year and plays a style that takes a real toll on the body. While you can argue that his brother does, too, his brother is elite defensively and moves the puck at a high level. Chris is one of the best defensive defensemen in the league and a true minute-eater. That’s not nearly the same as a fourth-line energy player. It’s fair to wonder how much longer Brandon can keep it up and how effective he will be over a full 82-game schedule.
Nick Bjugstad
- 2024-25 Season: 66 games, 8 goals, 19 points, 12:19 per game, 51.32 CF%, 53.16 xGF%
- Level of interest: Depends on the price, but on a potentially cheap one-year deal, he’s a fine option to add to the mix.
Things to Like
Bjugstad is only a season removed from a 22-goal, 45-point campaign, and just one year later, he’s a good buy-low option all of a sudden. Bjugstad underwent surgery last summer and missed the first eight games of the season. In his season-ending presser, Bjugstad took responsibility for his poor season, noting he didn’t get off to a good start following the surgery and that he wants to improve this summer (presumably with a healthy offseason to train).
Bjugstad posted the lowest shooting percentage over a full season of his career, got hurt again in March, and never really found his footing. I’m betting his game hasn’t completely fallen off and he has a good rebound season ahead of him at age 33, at a reasonable price.
The 6’5 Bjugstad can play both wing and center, and while he isn’t physical, he can hold onto the puck in the offensive zone and help the Leafs‘ cycle game in possession. For a team that struggled territorially last season, he would be a plus for the group.
Defensively, he gets in the way with his reach. Similar to how the Leafs have loaded up on big defensemen who get in the way, the same applies at forward. A few bigger forwards who make life difficult for opponents with their size every night can help the cause.
Causes for Concern
Bjugstad is a fairly average two-way forward in general. He’ll chip in some offense, he’s respectable defensively, he can play center competently, and it would be a fine addition at a discount. But it’s fair to question the opportunity cost. He needs a rebound season if he’s worthy of a roster spot at 32. Bjugstad has enough pedigree that he likely won’t come in on a completely risk-free contract.
Bjugstad has also played only 27 playoff games in his career, scoring eight points in those games. He’s probably a fourth-line player in the playoffs at this point, which is fine for a player who is 6’5 and defensively sound, but the Leafs would need to put together a good fit and clear plan for their bottom six, which is currently full of a bunch of question marks and awkward fits.
Michael Eyssimont
- 2024-25 Season: 77 games, 9 goals, 16 points, 10:37 per game, 52.4 CF%, 54.34 xGF%
- Level of interest: Moderate, as long as his contract is fully buriable
Things to Like
Turning 29 this fall, Eyssimont has established himself as a solid five-on-five depth player. He launches roughly two shots on net per game despite never scoring more than 11 goals, so he’s a high-volume, low-quality shooter who can forecheck. He’s posted positive possession stats every season of his career. The fit is obvious; the Leafs struggled to drive play last season, and Eyssimont, in a depth role, is pretty effective at it.
While he’s only listed at 6’0, he’s speedy and can frustrate opponents. Eyssimont actually has fought nine times over the past two seasons, tied for 30th in the league with players like Tom Wilson and Brayden Schenn. He’s not a particularly great fighter, but the fact that he agitates opponents into dropping them and will answer the bell are two positives in my books.
He’s not flashy, but the Leafs dressed a lot of depth players last season who struggled to drive the puck up ice, and in that regard, Eyssimont is an upgrade, if a minor one.
Causes for Concern
It’s hard to know what exactly Eyssimont is other than a decent five-on-five player. He didn’t penalty kill at all between Tampa Bay and Seattle, and he doesn’t produce much. Taking decent five-on-five shifts likely isn’t enough at the end of the day; he either has to chip in some solid secondary scoring or be really effective defensively. Without doing either, he’s strictly a fourth liner, and it’s hard to justify a 29-year-old fourth liner with no real ability to move up the lineup.
As cheap depth on a buriable contract ($1.15M or under), there isn’t much risk, but Eyssimont might have a bit of a market as he’s played over 200 games in the league now and played for Team USA in the World Championships.
Cole Koepke
- 2024-25 Season: 73 games, 10 goals, 17 points, 11:15 per game, 44.54 CF%, 47.78 xGF%
- Level of interest: Relatively high as a no-risk swing on a player with some upside, as long as the contract is cheap
Things to Like
Likely the least-known player on this list, Koepke just completed his first season in the league at 26. He produced 10 goals and 17 points in 73 games with the Boston Bruins and just turned 27 in May. Koepke caught my eye early in the season when he formed an effective line with John Beecher and Mark Kastelic. The trio outscored opponents 10-6 despite heavy defensive-zone usage and drove play up ice with their heavy forechecking style.
Koepke’s 6’1 and brings real speed to the lineup. He has some finishing ability, scoring a few goals where he beat goalies clean from distance with his shot. Scoring in double digits in his first full season with a manageable 11.8 shooting percentage is a noteworthy accomplishment. Koepke was also third among all Bruins in hits and got into a fight last season with Kaiden Guhle, conducting himself pretty well while standing up for a teammate.
As a late bloomer out of college with some size and speed, Koepke profiles somewhat similarly to Bobby McMann, who is two years older than him and only broke out in the NHL last season. If Koepke can manage a slight uptick in offense and push closer to 15 goals, on a small contract with his size and speed, he is a nice option over an 82-game season. I wouldn’t expect him to be a game changer, but not every signing can be one. He represents a potential option to increase at the margins as a low-risk player with real upside, so he intrigues me as a depth add.
Causes for Concern
As long as his contract is at/under the buriable amount — which it almost certainly would be — there are technically no major concerns. However, similar to Eyssimont, it would be important for Koepke to carve out a proper role. Koepke averaged 44 seconds per game on the penalty kill last season, so he was in and around it, but he wasn’t a regular.
While Koepke can clearly play in the league, the bigger question marks concern his role and fit. Are the Leafs going to run a scoring fourth line? Is he a checker? Often players like Koepke need the right opportunity to fit in. It’s possible the Leafs don’t present the right opportunity, assuming they want some sort of fourth line that’s a checking unit and prefer to aim higher up the lineup, as they should have the cap dollars to spend.
