If the Devils are still keen on unloading Hamilton’s $9-million cap hit and perceive any team taking him on to be doing them a favor, that lowers the acquisition cost. But Hamilton quietly had a resurgent season, especially in the second half. Even though he’s a declining and expensive asset, he’s valuable, and new GM Sunny Mehta won’t necessarily see Hamilton as a piece to jettison. If he remains available and the Leafs still fashion themselves contenders in the present, he’s an option to explore.
In the win-now category, Larkin also suggests Vince Dunn (Seattle Kraken), Adam Fox (New York Rangers), and Jake Walman (Edmonton Oilers).
However, if Toronto is more interested in a long-term investment, Larkin also suggests a number of young upside players, like Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Jamie Drysdale:
The potential never seems to yield the results for Drysdale, who was such a talented junior-aged player that he earned ‘next Cale Makar’ type of hype leading up to the 2020 NHL Draft and hasn’t come anywhere close. But Drysdale graded out as an above-average play driver at both ends of the ice this season; for the first time in his career, his team outscored its opponents at 5-on-5 with him on the ice. He averaged the most points per game of his career to date, he’s still just 24, and he’s a Toronto native. With right-shot Oliver Bonk knocking on the door, would the Flyers be OK moving Drysdale?
Other young players Larkin thinks Toronto should look into include Simon Nemec (New Jersey Devils), Pavel Mintyukov (Anaheim Ducks), and Mason Lohrei (Boston Bruins).
If the Leafs want to make a big swing, Larkin says the ideal candidate is Brandt Clarke of the Los Angeles Kings. But it’ll cost them:
If the Leafs wanted a dream marriage of skill, age and a player maturing into his prime, Clarke, 23, is the perfect target. Over the past three seasons, only Cale Makar averages more primary assists per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. Clarke’s surface stats have remained relatively modest because the Kings haven’t fully unleashed him from a workload standpoint – he has yet to average 20 minutes of TOI in a season – but his responsibility is trending upward, and his RFA summer might be the last real chance for another team to steal him. He wouldn’t come cheap, of course. Clarke remains L.A.’s long-term successor to Drew Doughty as their top puck-moving righty defenseman. The Leafs would have to make a core-altering move to land Clarke.
Larkin also points to high-priced free agents they could target like Rasmus Andersson and Darren Raddysh, and stopgap free agents like Tony DeAngelo and John Klingberg.
Give us your thoughts, how should Toronto address its gap on the blueline this summer?