The Toronto Maple Leafs are positioning themselves as leading contenders in the pursuit of defenseman Brett Pesce, according to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Pesce completed a six-year, $24.1 million when the Hurricanes fell to the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Pagnotta revealed on June 6 that the Maple Leafs (as well as the Nashville Predators) may show interest in the blueliner should he become available as an unrestricted free agent. Free agency begins on July 1.
“Going back to Pesce, if he’s available on July 1st, both Nashville and Toronto will be pursuing him,” Pagnotta wrote. “The Predators and Maple Leafs will pursue him if they can, but there will undoubtedly be other suitors.”
Of course, the Carolina Hurricanes are attempting to persuade Pesce to accept a contract that he previously declined in the summer of 2023, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
“Pesce didn’t seem likely (to extend his contract),” Friedman reported on Friday, May 17. “They kinda told him what they were willing to do last year. I think it was in the (five-year, $5MM per year) range. It didn’t work. I don’t know that it’s changed.”
Changes Have Come (And Will Keep Coming) to Carolina
Now-former Hurricanes General Manager Don Waddell stepped down from the role on May 24, creating doubts about the future of the organization just a bit over a month from the start of free agency.
“Carolina is already evaluating its options in the event they cannot get one or both of Pesce or (Brady) Skjei signed to new deals,” Pagnotta reported.
The Hurricanes might lose up to five players in free agency who are presently making between $3 million and $6 million, according to Spotrac.
Of the five players, only Martin Necas (who has already drawn the interest of the Montreal Canadiens) is a restricted free agent; the other four are unrestricted free agents: Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guenzel, Skjei, and Pesce.Brett Pesce’s Potential Fit With Maple Leafs
Pesce has been a reliable player for nearly a decade, averaging over 20 minutes per game for eight consecutive seasons. He was close as a rookie when he averaged 18:46 in 69 games back in 2016.
Though his offensive production dipped in 2024 with only 3 goals and 13 points in 70 games, his career-long statistics speak of a 25-plus-point contributor every year.
At 29, Pesce should still be in his prime and close to his peak. He would make for the perfect partner of Morgan Rielly on the right side of Toronto’s top defensive pair.
Making it an even more believable report, Ilya Lyubushkin is expected to test the open market in July 2024, opening a hole in the Leafs’ top defensive line.
The Maple Leafs are targeting top defensemen available in this summer’s UFA market, especially right-handed shots such as Pesce.
Pesce’s Contract Details & Leafs’ Cap Considerations
Evolving Hockey projects Pesce to sign a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million on the open market come July. That, for context, would top the contract offer submitted by Carolina and reported by Friedman in both money and term.
The Leafs are entering the offseason with considerable salary cap flexibility and could easily offer such a deal to Pesce.
PuckPedia has Toronto entering the offseason with $19.3 million in cap room, which is more than enough for the franchise to land Pesce.
The Leafs only have 14 of the mandatory 23 players under contract on the active roster, and 34 of 50 under standard contracts in the organization.
At the top of the to-do list for the Leafs in the summer should be trying to re-sign notable UFAs Tyler Bertuzzi ($5.5 million in 2024) and Max Domi ($3 million), as well as deciding on what to do with the much-discussed future of superstar winger Mitch Marner.
