2010 Free Agent Targets

[RaptorsBoy]

Ilya Kovalchuk
Marc Savard
Milan Lucic
Oli Jokinen
Jonathan Toews
Patrick Kane
Patrick Marleau
Devin Setoguchi
Alexander Semin
Nicklas Backstrom
Ryan Kesler
Jordan Tootoo
Daniel Carcillo

Obviously some are going to be re-signed, like Kovalchuk, but the ones that are still on the market could easily be bought to come play for the Leafs. I really dont know how Chicago is going to keep both Kane and Toews since they signed Hossa and all those restricted free agents. Same goes for Boston since they are likely to re-sign Kessel, it would be tough to re-sign Savard and Lucic. Jokinen wouldnt be my first option but if he is still on the market I would pick him up if the price is right. Ron Wilson has history with Marleau and Setoguchi from San Jose, while Kesler plays for Team USA which is ran by the Burke and Wilson. I could see Washington retaining Backstrom and Semin but if not they should get ready for a phone call from Burke. The last two guys, Tootoo and Carcillo are Burke's type of players. Imagine a 4th line of Tootoo Carcillo and Orr. Watch out!

We're stacked on the defensive end but there's guys like Corvo, Foote, Volchenkov, Jason Smith, Letang and Gonchar. As for goalies, I really wanna see how this Toskala-Monster situation pans out. But if its a failure then you have guys like, Ward, Turco, Price, Nabokov, and possibly Luongo. Its tough to say what the 2010-11 cap will be but with the cap falling, so will average player contracts making the Sedin Twins, Hossa, Cammalleri, Bouwmeester, and Gaborik signings all detrimental to their clubs in the future. If the cap were to stay the same as this year, then the leafs would have 26 million to spend. Wow!

[RoyceDa59]

I'd expect Toews, Kane, Setoguchi, Backstrom, Savard, Jokinen, Semin and Kovalchuk to all re-sign with their respective teams. Of all the players on that list, I think Lucic fits the mold of a Burke type player and he'd look great in a Leafs jersey. He's a legitimate 25 goal, 50 point threat who lays big hits, gets to the front of the net and loves to drop the gloves. Kesler is another all-round player who Burke will probably target. Those two would be great complimentary signings, and they'd round out the forward core, setting the Leafs up to make a big splash at a superstar in 2011.

[Griff83]

Half those guys you listed are Restricted free agents. If the team they are currently on cant afford them they will almost certainly be traded. The only way a team like the Leafs will get a Toews, Kane or Lucic type would be thru trade or signing them to a offer sheet where we would have to give up a bunch of picks.

Toews and Kane will certainly be staying in Chicago longterm. They will just trade one of there defencemen like Keith, Seabrook or Barker or a forward making alot like Pat Sharp.

[RaptorsBoy]

2010: Lucic + Kesler
2011: Thornton + Gagne
2012: Stanley Cup