Dustin Byfuglien in Blue and White?

Does it make sense for the Toronto Maple Leafs to pursue Dustin Byfuglien in the off season? The #N6ix team discusses why it could make sense for the Maple Leafs to bring "Big Buff" into the 2020-21 line up.

Dustin Byfuglien took a leave of absence in the beginning of the 2019-20 season and it raised many questions on what his future would look like in the National Hockey League.

On April 17th, 2020, according to Sportsnet.ca, the Winnipeg Jets and Dustin Byfuglien have reached an agreement to terminate the rest of Byfuglien's NHL contract. This now leaves Dustin Byfuglien a unrestricted free agent going into the 2020 summer.

Dustin Byfuglien in Toronto?

Having a big defense-man like Dustin Byfuglien can benefit a lot of teams in the National Hockey League. There are a few reasons why it can be difficult for the Leafs to sign him but it would push them in the right direction if he chose Toronto.

Salary Cap

This is going to be a big issue for Toronto as they have a lot of their money tied up in four all-star forwards. Going into the summer, there are a few players such as Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci who will either need a contract or they will become free agents. If they choose to walk, this will open up some cap space for the Maple Leafs. If #Toronto wants to bring in someone like Byfuglien, they will need to open up some cap space because in his previous contract, Byfuglien was making $7.6 million a year so you would think he would want something around that price.

Holes in the Blue Line

The Maple Leafs recently signed Jake #Muzzin to a four deal worth just over $5.5 million a year. With this signing, the Leafs have 4 blue-liners locked in for at least three more years. Jake Muzzin is the only Defense-man that is over the age of 30 so bringing in Dustin Byfuglien can help with the young player's development. There is too many offensive defense-men on the Maple Leafs so bringing in Byfuglien can make it more balanced.

Where is the Toughness?

An area where the Leafs need help to pursue their first Stanley Cup since 1967. There is a lot of talent on this roster, probably one of the best in the National Hockey League but you need to grind in order to compete in the #playoffs. Right now, there are two players on the roster that grind each and every game and that is Zach Hyman and Kyle Clifford. Clifford will need a new contract next season so the Leafs could lose him in the off-season. Zach Hyman is someone you can rely on when it comes to battling in the corners and not being afraid to throw the body around! Bringing in a big body like Byfuglien can boost the Leaf's toughness and help them when it becomes playoff time.

Kyle #Dubas will have some big decisions to make in order to satisfy Leafs Nation which can be very difficult at times! There will be lots of teams going after Big Buff but if the Leafs can manage to pull it off, it will benefit them in multiple categories.