The Toronto Maple Leafs have set themselves up so that a few players take up the majority of their cap space.

As a result, the Leafs need to unearth hidden talent on the cheap and hope they can outperform the value of the deal before they price themselves out of the long-term plans. This is what happened with players such as Michael Bunting, Ilya Mikheyev, Jack Campbell, and Justin Holl among others.

Not every low-risk bet has paid off, but there have been enough success stories that it has proven to be a useful tool. Bobby McMann has become a mainstay in the middle-six after coming out of nowhere. Simon Benoit turned an unqualified RFA from the Anaheim Ducks into a multi-year deal with the Leafs. Philippe Myers has been able to find his way back into the NHL and got an extension as a result. Even Max Pacioretty has proven to be a useful secondary contributor despite being in the back nine of his career.

The Leafs will no doubt continue to go down this path for years to come so long as they have their Core Four intact, which is why they are among the teams in consideration for under-the-radar players. It’s why they are one of the clubs keeping tabs on Maxim Shabanov, why their investment in Chas Sharpe is beginning to pay off, and why they should take a run at signing Charles-Edouard D’Astous.

Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 200 pounds, the Rimouski native is a 26-year-old offensive defenceman amid a solid season with Brynas IF Gavle of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). At the time of filing, D’Astous is second on his team in scoring behind Jacob Silfverberg with 38 points (12 goals and 26 assists) in 42 games played.

Not only is he tied for first with Linus Hultström as the highest-scoring defenceman in the league, but he is also tied for eighth in the league overall. The SHL has long been a league where scoring is difficult to come by, so the fact that D’Astous is inside the top 10 in points makes it an impressive feat.

His prowess is due to his lethal one-timer from the point that opposing goalies have a difficult time stopping while also being responsible defensively and willing to engage in the physical side of the game. It has also gotten the attention of the NHL as reports have emerged that several teams have taken an interest in his performance in Sweden. D’Astous is well aware of the fact that teams have been keeping an eye on him and while he is currently focused on the season with Brynas, his goal has always been to reach the NHL.

D’Astous has had quite a unique career as the tweet above has illustrated. After going undrafted, he turned pro during the 2019-20 season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization. His development hit a snag as his playtime was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in him signing an AHL deal with the Colorado Eagles in 2021-22 before heading overseas after that.

He would sign with the KooKoo Kouvola of the Finnish Elite League where things started to come together for him as he emerged as one of the league’s best defenceman in only his second season with the team. D’Astous’ 46 points (17 goals and 29 assists) in 54 games resulted in him being voted the league’s top blueliner, resulting in him inking a contract with Brynas this past summer.

That deal he signed was a two-year deal, but his contract has escape clauses that allow him to pursue opportunities abroad. Judging by the fact that D’Astous has expressed his desire to reach the NHL, he would gladly exercise said clause if the chance to reach the best league in the world presented itself.

The Leafs could certainly use some more offence from their back end long-term, especially given how limited the unit’s production has been up to this point this season. With how important it is to get some production from your blueline both during the regular season and the playoffs, adding someone who has a prowess for generating offence seems like a wise decision, especially for a team that needs to go for the bargain bin options.

GM Brad Treliving would not be taking any risks in taking a flyer on D’Astous as he would likely agree to a contract that the Leafs can easily bury if things don’t work out. But if it pays off in spades then the Leafs will be able to have added a late bloomer to their backend who could provide some additional offence for next season and beyond.

A defenceman who has good size is the kind of player the Leafs have been keen on adding to their system since Treliving took over, but what would make D’Astous stand out is his booming shot, willingness to play physically, and offensive instincts. The fact he is committed to making his dream come true and will not give up shows he is going to give it his all every single night and that’s the kind of low-risk bet the Leafs should be looking to make.

There will certainly be plenty of competition to acquire his services, but the Leafs would be smart to take a run at D’Astous.