The Toronto Maple Leafs were reportedly contenders in the pursuit of goaltender Jacob Markstrom. So, just how close did they come to securing the former Calgary Flames netminder? According to recent insights, perhaps closer than initially believed.
On the latest “32 Thoughts” podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that Toronto’s offer for Markstrom was similar to the one New Jersey Devils made.
“I heard their offer was comparable to New Jersey’s,” Friedman said. “However, due to the politics involved, Toronto needed to make a significantly better offer to outbid everyone else.”
The Flames ultimately traded Markstrom to New Jersey for a top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick and defenseman Kevin Bahl, while retaining 31.25 percent of Markstrom’s $6 million annual cap hit.
The politics Friedman referred to stem from former Flames GM Brad Treliving’s departure from Calgary and subsequent hiring by the Maple Leafs. This led to unusual stipulations, such as Treliving not being allowed to join the Leafs’ draft table until after the Flames made their first pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Over the past year, Treliving has been linked to several former Flames players, including defensemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov, but no deals were finalized despite strong interest.
“I think the Maple Leafs really needed to make a standout offer to land Markstrom,” Friedman added, noting the challenges Toronto faced in this trade pursuit.
Currently, the Maple Leafs have Joseph Woll as their only NHL goaltender under contract for the upcoming season. Ilya Samsonov, who played the last two seasons in Toronto, seems to be heading for free agency. The Leafs have been linked to other potential goaltending options, including free agents Laurent Brossoit from the Winnipeg Jets and Anthony Stolarz from the Florida Panthers.
