Leafs qualify five RFAs (so far)

It’s been an eternity (nearly forty-eight hours) since any real Leafs news, but we’ll get some tonight in the form of their list of qualified restricted free agents. Toronto had nine players who were eligible to be extended offers by the deadline today – Garret Sparks, Peter Holland, Frank Corrado, Josh Leivo, Martin Marincin, Stuart Percy, Colin Smith, and Carricks Connor and Sam.

So far it’s been confirmed that Sparks, Corrado, Holland, and Marincin all unsurprisingly have been qualified, but news regarding the others has yet to surface. And given the way other teams have gone about their business today, it’s unclear which ones will get an offer.

Shortly after the publishing of this post, an offer was extended to Connor Carrick, who’s likely a full-time NHL player next season. But as for Percy, Smith, and maybe even Leivo, things are a little up in the air. It’s assumed Sam Carrick is as good as gone.

There’s been some surprising activity around the league today in terms of who’s gone unqualified by the deadline. Names like Joe Colborne and Brandon Pirri aren’t stars by any means, but they did pile up nice totals this past season, and now they’ll be available to everyone. Though, it’s important to note that teams appear to be avoiding the risk of going to arbitration with a few players, instead looking to work things out on their own or let players walk. However it plays out, they just don’t want to get pinned with a heavy arbitration reward.

Given the way the Leafs aren’t tied to much on their roster, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see anyone on their remaining list get left out besides C. Carrick and Leivo. After all, players like Percy and S. Carrick were inherited by this management group, so they aren’t exactly “their guys”.

We’ll see how things shake out with the rest of the Leafs’ list, and then it might be wise to turn attention to those elsewhere who didn’t get on board with their teams, who could perhaps make sense as free agents for Toronto.