The Leafs had until 5 p.m. ET on Sunday to tender qualifying offers to each restricted free agent.
On the eve of NHL free agency, the 5 p.m. ET deadline to tender qualifying offers to restricted free agents have come and gone. The Toronto Maple Leafs elected to send qualifying offers to Nick Robertson, Alex Steeves, and Connor Dewar, but not Noah Gregor – making him an unrestricted free agent.
With Timothy Liljegren signed to a two-year, $6 million contract minutes before the deadline, they announced that he was given a qualifying offer just before signing on the dotted line.
By extending qualifying offers to these players, the Leafs ensure they retain their rights as RFAs (restricted free agents). The three forwards can either accept the qualifying offer or negotiate a new contract with the team. If they receive an offer sheet from another team, the Leafs have the right to match it to keep the player, or receive various draft compensation in return.
Of the three players who received a qualifying offer, Steeves and Dewar have arbitration rights, while Robertson does not. Arbitration rights allow Steeves and Dewar to request a salary arbitration hearing if they cannot agree on a new contract with the team, potentially leading to an arbitrator determining their salary. Robertson, without arbitration rights, must negotiate directly with the team and has less leverage in contract discussions.
Since Gregor did not receive a qualifying offer from the team, he will become an unrestricted free agent. This status allows him to sign with any team in the NHL without any restrictions or compensation owed to the Leafs.
Gregor was picked up by the Leafs after a professional tryout, earning himself a spot after training camp. On a one-year contract with a cap hit of $775,000, Gregor played in 63 games, scoring six goals and adding six assists for 12 points. In the postseason, he would join the team in the latter half of their opening-round series against the Bruins, appearing in two games. He joined the Leafs after his previous team, the San Jose Sharks, didn't tender him a qualifying offer last year.
The decision not to extend a qualifying offer to Gregor suggests the club is allocating their resources elsewhere. For Robertson, Steeves, and Dewar, receiving qualifying offers ensures they remain under the Leafs’ control. These players will now enter contract negotiations with the team, with Steeves and Dewar having the additional leverage of arbitration if needed.
According to PuckPedia.com, the Leafs have $12,955,333 left to spend under the $88 million salary cap with 17 players committed ahead of free agency Monday.
