The NHL draft is approaching, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing to bolster their prospect pool. However, this influx of new talent will also lead to departures, as three players’ contracts are set to expire at the end of the off-season.
The NHL has distinct rules governing player rights depending on the league they come from. Typically, if a player is drafted from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), their NHL team retains their rights for two years. For players drafted from college, most European leagues, or the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the rights are held for four years, except in the case of KHL players, whose rights are indefinite.
According to CapFriendly.com, there are three Toronto Maple Leafs players whose rights are set to expire, and the team must sign them or risk losing their rights.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rights to these players are set to expire, it doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot still sign them. If they fail to do so, the players would become free agents, available to all 31 NHL teams.
Currently, the prospects of signing these players seem uncertain, but each case is unique. Let’s examine the individual circumstances of the three players whose rights are at risk of expiring.
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