Leafs sign Kerfoot to 4-year, $14-million contract

Acquired in the Nazem Kadri trade, Alexander Kerfoot is now a Maple Leaf for long-term — signing a four-year extension worth $14-million.

Coming in at a cap hit of $3.5-million for the next four years is solid business by Kyle Dubas, to lock up the third-line centre (or winger) spot for the near future that they hope to contend in.

Seen as the other piece in the Tyson Barrie-Nazem Kadri deal to many, but Kerfoot will cement his spot in this forward group exceptionally well. He only has two seasons under his belt with Colorado, but in those 157 NHL games played, Kerfoot racked up 34 goals and 51 assists.

Depending on what Babcock wants, Kerfoot could either start the season as the third-line centre — in between Kasperi Kapanen and Trevor Moore most likely — or as a top-nine left-winger and depending on William Nylander to fill that centre spot. All of this is hypothetical and can change in the months to come, but it’s looking like a solid deal for both sides.

Coming in around the same number, Dubas signed Andreas Johnsson and Kapanen to extensions earlier this summer. Johnsson to a four-year, $13.6-million ($3.4-million AAV) contact, and Kapanen to a three-year, $9.6-million ($3.2-million AAV) contract. Three forwards that should be able to play anywhere in the Leafs’ lineup and log big minutes with an offensive touch.

After the Kerfoot extension and the likely Cody Ceci contract, the Leafs have around $9-million in remaining cap space with only Mitch Marner to sign as a restricted free agent. That number is including Nathan Horton on LTIR.