After making some changes on July 1 in the form of trades, the Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves with another pair of restricted free agents to sign. It didn’t take long to work out new contracts though, as today the Maple Leafs announced new deals for both Alexander Kerfoot and Cody Ceci. Kerfoot’s four-year contract will be for a total of $14MM, while Ceci’s should come in at just one-year, $4.5MM. Both will be unrestricted free agents when the deals expire.
Kerfoot, 24, was acquired in a deal along with Tyson Barrie that saw long-time Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri head to the Colorado Avalanche. The young forward is coming off consecutive seasons with at least 42 points after signing as a free agent out of Harvard in 2017. Kerfoot decided not to sign with the team that drafted him 15oth overall in 2012, turning down any offer the New Jersey Devils made.
A great skater, Kerfoot does most of his damage from in tight after getting behind the defense or finding loose pucks around the net. Though he isn’t the bruising, physical winger that many have pined for in Toronto, he does bring more skill to a lineup designed by GM Kyle Dubas to rely on it. He also brings some much needed versatility, able to play both center and left wing when called upon. The Maple Leafs did sign Jason Spezza and Nick Shore on the first day of free agency, but it’s tough to see either of them in a full-time third-line center role at this point in their careers. At a $3.5MM cap hit, Kerfoot could be a reasonable option in the middle behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares.
Ceci, 26, will get a chance to prove that he can excel in reduced minutes in Toronto. The right-handed defenseman was often asked to take on the opponents best when he was with the Ottawa Senators, usually to disappointing results. Though armed with all the physical skills needed to be an elite player in the NHL, Ceci still hasn’t been able to put everything together and become that true top-pairing defenseman. He is however coming off a 26-point season with the Senators and is some much-needed depth on the right side for Toronto after they let Ron Hainsey leave and traded Nikita Zaitsev.
The question now though is how the Maple Leafs will afford to fit their other restricted free agent into the fold. Mitch Marner is still unsigned and Toronto’s cap situation is getting crowded once again. They currently project to have just $3.76MM in cap space for next season, though they will be able to move Nathan Horton’s $5.3MM hit onto long-term injured reserve. They could also potentially do that with both Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott at the beginning of the season, though both players are expected back before long. The Maple Leafs do have an advantage with the proximity of their minor league club, allowing them to play home games with a reduced roster in order to bank cap space, but either way it is going to be quite the dance to get everyone in this season. In fact, there very well might be some additional moves required before the start of the year depending on where Marner’s final number ends up.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
no cap space for marner again
not that much away from having enough. can put Horton on IR so at 9 million. probably needs another 1 million to get Marner signed
thiugh does seem a bit high for kerfoot.
The difference in salary between Nylander and Ristolainen pays for Marner.
what else does buffalo give up in that trade? Doubt Rasmus alone gets it done. not to mention the leafs have 2 RHD now. Ristolainen likely would be at best #4 on the depth chart.
if the leafs decide to move Nylander, you are likely seeing a first round pick and a young cheap player come back as the purpose of unloading william would be to create a fair bit of cap space not just 1.5 million.
The Leafs had 12.98M in cap not including Hortons LTIR of 5.30M. So 18.28M total once LTIR is applied. 3 RFA’s being Marner, Ceci & Kerfoot. Ceci 4.5M, Kerfoot was 3.5 is 8M total. This left 10.28M in cap to sign Marner.
Dubas should be commended for what he has done with this team, they are far better today then they where last year – Kerfoot is young and a bargain with huge upside, not to mention Barrie is a legit top Dman in the league & huge improvement over Jake Gardiner.
Marner’s agent has told teams not to send an offer sheet unless it’s a Max offer which is 10.56M which with the cap the leafs have they could surely make a minor roster move to match. Again I doubt any team gives up 4 first round picks.
This just goes to show how Kyle Dubas has done his homework ….lastly the Leafs will use Max bonus money for Marner allowing them to add another serviceable defence man perhaps a Lovejoy or McQuaid or even a Gardiner at something like 1/3.5M as his agent said he would take a huge hometown discount to try for a cup with Toronto.
Cap space is t an issue for a team with 10M, LTIR and Bonuses – Dubas & the Leafs have found a flaw in the CBA and I’m sure other teams will ensure the advantages are addressed the next round of negotiations.
^You think Gardiner is going to take 1 or 3.5mil? You are the definition of a Leaf Homer
Young players coming into their first UFA signing do not ‘chase cups’. That’s for the likes of Pavalski, Thorton, Jager, etc. Guys that don’t need the $ and want to play for winning teams. Gardiner wants 7 years at $$ as high as he can get
i dont know what the extra $2 million is from, but they certianly are not that close to the magic number of 10.56. sites ive looked at suggest between $8 million and $9 million in cap space even after Horton hits the ltir.
Emax,
What are you talking about link to capfriendly.com 3,765,301 is the current cap space. Not sure where your getting those numbers from bud. Even with Horton going on LTIR… thats $9.2 and change still not enough to get Mitch inked. Kerfoot deal is 4 years at 3.5 a year for 14 not your stated 8 mil…. your 6 mil off there bud.
There is no way in heck Gardiner comes back after a -5 in Game 7 a few years back let alone his injured back was it not. Let alone currently 8 D on the roster. Oviously Mcd is out for bit due to shoulder surgery but that still gives you 7 d with only 6 roster spots. I think you need to re-take high school math 101 chum!
Marner#16,
You are forgetting about the at least $675,000 that will be freed up when they move one of their 8 defensemen down to the AHL, that Capfriendly currently has hitting their cap.
Am I crazy to think they are gonna try and flip ceci still to open up that cap space
i figured one of the two would be dealt again for sure.
Marincin and Holl are AHL depth, in-case-of-emergency-break-glass type of players and shouldn’t see any regular time. Even their #6, Harpur hasn’t played a full season to this point in his career and ideally the Leafs would pick up one more D and use Harpur as #7.
As forwhomjoshbelltolls pointed out, a Nylander/Risto trade frees up enough space to sign Marner and provides them with added depth on D.
Mistake,
I didn’t forget its what it currently sits at. Enjoy cheering for the new leafs oh i mean sens you got.
Did they buy out any of Kerfoots UFA years?
Yeah, his 4 year deal buys out 3 RFA years and 1 UFA year.
JD,
Your a joke do your homework before commenting bud. No shock i’d find ya here you wanna be Leafs fan. You already signed a few ex Leafs and got some in a trade you just gotta buy the jersey!