Montour & Tanev reportedly on Maple Leafs' radar in free agency on July 1st
The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be a team to watch on the defensive market in free agency this summer and they reportedly already have their eyes on a pair players.
According to Nick Kypreos, the Toronto Maple Leafs will target Florida Panthers defenceman Brandon Montour if he hits the open market on Monday, July 1st.
Kypreos also mentions that Chris Tanev is another guy that will be on the Maple Leafs' radar. The Maple Leafs tried to acquire him from Calgary before the trade deadline in March, but he was ultimately moved to the Dallas Stars, helping them reach the Western Conference Final.
Whether is Montour, Tanev, both or another name, the Maple Leafs are going to need help on their blue line for the 2024-25 campaign. This summer, John Klingberg, TJ Brodie, Joel Edmundson, Mark Giordano and Ilya Lyubushkin are all set to become unrestricted free agents on Canada Day, so the need to add multiple top-six defencemen is crucial for General Manager Brad Treliving.
Montour, 30, is one season removed from a 73-point campaign, and put up 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), 46 penalty minutes and was a plus-one in 66 regular season games. So far, he's added ten points (three goals, seven assists) in 21 playoff games and is one win away from winning his first Stanley Cup.
Tanev, 34, would be a pretty good fit for the Maple Leafs' third pairing, penalty kill and if injury issues arise, can play in the top-four. This season between the Flames and Stars, Tanev had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists), 24 penalty minutes and was a plus-22.
It'll be interesting to see which direction Brad Treliving goes on July 1st, whether he adds multiple depth defencemen or tries to swing big for a name like Brandon Montour or Brady Skjei.
| POLL | ||
Which of the two defencemen would be a better fit for the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Brandon Montour | 87 | 53 % |
| Chris Tanev | 77 | 47 % |
| List of polls | ||
