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The exodus from the Maple Leafs didn’t take long to get underway on Saturday afternoon.
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Among the first signings announced when National Hockey League free agency opened involved defenceman Luke Schenn, who put his signature on a contract with the Nashville Predators for three years and an annual average value of $2.75-million US.
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Not long after, centre Ryan O’Reilly joined Schenn in Nashville, signing for four years with an AAV of $4.5-million.
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And Saturday turned out to be a good day for defenceman Justin Holl, who signed with the Detroit Red Wings for three years and an AAV of $3.4-million. Holl was coming off a three-year contract with the Leafs that had an AAV of $2-million.
The path out the Leafs’ door continued throughout the afternoon.
Winger Michael Bunting took his offence and pesky playing ways to the Carolina Hurricanes, signing a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.5-million. Bunting scored 23 goals in each of the past two seasons.
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Centre Noel Acciari, who was solid in a depth role after he was acquired from St. Louis last season, followed Kyle Dubas to Pittsburgh and signed a three-year contract with the Penguins. That deal has an AAV of $2-million.
Even depth goalie Erik Kallgren headed to the departure lounge, signing a one-year, two-way deal with the New Jersey Devils that would pay him $775,000 in the NHL.
The Leafs went into the weekend with 16 unrestricted free agents.
General manager Brad Treliving had little financial wiggle room, though he had tried to keep Schenn and O’Reilly, among others.
Signing physical winger Ryan Reaves to a three-year contract with an AAV of $1.35-million took a bite out of what little money Treliving has to spend.
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The Reaves signing, which still had not been made official by the Leafs, leaves Treliving with just under $4.5-million under the cap, not including the $5.6-million that would be available if defenceman Jake Muzzin is placed on longterm injured reserve.
There’s no doubt Treliving is on the clock.
He’s going to have to get creative, perhaps in a trade, if he wants to make a true impact on the blue line.
Any way it’s sliced, the Leafs, at least through the first few hours of free agency, were not a better team than they were when they were eliminated in the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Florida Panthers.
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July 02, 2023 at 01:18AM
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Maple Leafs lose Bunting, Schenn, O'Reilly, Holl early in NHL free agency - Toronto Sun
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