Toronto Maple Leafs rumors: Elliotte Friedman reports major hurdle in Max Domi & $5,500,000 forward's contract extensions

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jun 13, 2024 12:00 GMT

NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has pointed out a major obstacle for the Toronto Maple Leafs when it comes to extending contracts for forwards Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi.

Both Domi and Bertuzzi are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Friedman discussed Max Domi's contract situation on the "TheLeafsNation" podcast, stating that Domi is interested in a long-term deal and reckoning that he would be a great fit for the Maple Leafs as well.

However, Friedman pointed out that the Toronto Maple Leafs are cautious about committing to a long-term extension. He explained that if both sides can agree on the length of the contract that works for both Domi and the Leafs, then a deal could be finalized.

"I know Domi wants some term. Look, I think Max Domi is a perfect Leaf. I think he's going to be happy to be here for a long time. I think Toronto is nervous of term. I think if they can find a term number that makes sense to both sides, then I think it happens," Friedman said.

For Tyler Bertuzzi's contract situation, Friedman emphasized that the term length, rather than the average annual value (AAV) of the contract, is a crucial factor for the Leafs in Bertuzzi's extension.

Friedman further noted that if the Toronto Maple Leafs were to lose some players during negotiations, it would likely be due to disagreements over the length of the contract rather than the financial terms.

"Bertuzzi is the interesting one. I also think they want to bring him back. But again, I think the Leafs are trying to be really careful about term, and that's one thing that I was warned, if they lose some of these players, it's probably going be because of term more than AAV."

Last year, the Maple Leafs acquired Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings and signed him to a one-year, $5.5 million contract. Meanwhile, Max Domi was acquired from the Dallas Stars and was subsequently signed to a one-year, $3 million contract by the Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs looking to add two defensemen in free agency

Brad Treliving has been seeking improvements for the Leafs' defense ever since he assumed the role of GM last summer. However, no major transformations have been made yet regarding upgrading the backend position.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly eyeing several prominent defensemen set to become free agents on July 1. Notable defensemen like Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, Brett Pesce, Sean Walker, Brandon Montour, and others are on the Leafs' radar as potential targets in the upcoming open market next month.

NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman recently, on the "Leafs Morning Take" podcast, talked about several free agency targets that the Leafs are considering. Freidman stated that the Maple Leafs are reportedly looking to pursue not just one but two prominent defensemen among the names mentioned above as part of their offseason plan.

Friedman said (as quoted by The Hockey News):

“I think they like [Nikita] Zadorov, [Chris] Tanev, [Brandon] Montour, [Brett] Pesce, [Sean] Walker, I think they like all these guys,” Friedman stated. “I had people tell me the Leafs were going to try to get two of these guys."

However, securing any of the defensemen mentioned by Friedman will pose a significant challenge for the Toronto Maple Leafs due to the expected widespread interest from teams across the league in these players.