NHL Trade Rumors: Analyst urges Toronto Maple Leafs to wait on $49,000,000 center before deciding on Domi & Bertuzzi extensions

Modified Jun 28, 2024 14:30 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, chief among them a few key free agency decisions. They have two of their own major stars facing big decisions, and there's a potential trade target that they've been tied to.

All of this can get expensive, and the timing of each decision impacts the next. If they re-sign their own players, it impacts their ability to get the player they covet and vice versa. If they're to trade for Nazem Kadri, a star center with a $49 million contract, they might not be able to sign Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi.

One NHL analyst believes that should be the order of business. Craig Button spoke on "SC with Jay Onrait":

"After everything Calgary is doing, sending out signals that they're in a rebuild. I'm not doing anything with those two players until I understand what's available with respect to Nazem Kadri... I think Max Domi showed that he's really versatile, really adaptable.

"That's the player I would put my priority on. Certainly, if Tyler Bertuzzi wants to come back on a one-year deal, I would entertain it."

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Button went on to add that Kadri is exactly what the Maple Leafs need. He also stressed that Kadri is a better player than either Bertuzzi or Domi. If the Leafs can get him, they won't be so pressed to find ways to bring either Bertuzzi or Domi back.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have some key decisions to make

The Toronto Maple Leafs finished eight points behind the eventual Stanley Cup Final champions, the Florida Panthers. They were one of the best teams in the NHL last year, but they were not quite at the same level as Florida.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have choices to make (image credit: IMAGN)

In order to get to that level, they have to make smart decisions this off-season. Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi were key players for them, but Nazem Kadri is a game-changer as Craig Button pointed out.

They will be hard-pressed to find ways to keep both and add Kadri, which is why they have to make the smart decision. Is it worth sacrificing a lot of cap space to take on Kadri, or should they allocate that elsewhere with players they know well?