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3 Maple Leafs Free Agents the Oilers Should Target

Jack Campbell Toronto Maple Leafs

As we continue to look at different teams that could help the Edmonton Oilers fill some possible needs in free agency, the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that is strapped for cap space and will be making moves, is next up. We will start with the biggest and most obvious need the Oilers have and dive deeper into a couple of depth pieces that they could get at a very fair price.

Jack Campbell

It’s widely known that the Oilers are looking to upgrade their goaltending as they need a legitimate starter, and general manager Ken Holland argued that they don’t have one. It doesn’t seem likely that Mike Smith will return due to age/health, and Stuart Skinner must make the jump to the NHL full-time next season. With Skinner likely able to split starts at most, the organization shouldn’t and won’t take any more shortcuts to find their starting goalie, especially since they are in win-now mode.

Jack Campbell, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

This brings us to Jack Campbell. He is a free agent, and Darren Dreger said on TSN’s Overdrive that there hasn’t been any meaningful back and forth between Campbell and the Maple Leafs, so it should open the door for other teams to speak to him in a few weeks’ time. The team doesn’t have much cap space to work with and still has Petr Mrazek’s $3.8 million on the books for two more seasons. Goaltending isn’t an area where any team should cheap out on since it’s such a huge part of their success.

Related: 3 Avalanche Free Agents the Oilers Should Target

The Oilers have moves in mind to free up space since they know goaltending was their downfall last season. With their dynamic group and expectations even higher after a conference final run, Holland can’t waste another year of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s contracts. He has to do what’s necessary to bring in a goaltender who can not just be good enough but win games.

Ilya Lyubushkin

The Oilers need an actual third-pairing defenceman, considering that’s all they can afford right now. I’m speaking of Tyson Barrie in this case. He played third-pairing minutes and only specialized on the power play where young Evan Bouchard can more than fill that hole. He is very likely on the move this offseason, and the Oilers would be wise to try to get a deal done before free agency so they know who they can target.

Ilya Lyubushkin Arizona Coyotes
Ilya Lyubushkin, Arizona Coyotes (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Barrie’s departure would open a spot up on the right side of the…

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