Vladimir Tarasenko, Dakota Joshua and David Perron are just some pending free agents who played for Craig Berube before. Are the Maple Leafs likely to pursue any of them?
He’s been on the job only for a handful of days, but new Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s impact on the Buds is already coming into focus.
But in about five weeks from now, Berube is going to get a number of new Leafs who sign as UFAs.
Could any of his players from his time with the St. Louis Blues reunite with him in Toronto? Some of them are worth considering.
Let’s look at pending UFAs across the NHL who played for Berube in St. Louis and examine the likelihood they're with the Maple Leafs in training camp.
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Florida Panthers
Likelihood of joining Berube in Toronto: Highly unlikely
Tarasenko won a Stanley Cup with Berube in St. Louis, but at the trade deadline, he had control over where the Ottawa Senators could trade him, and Florida was that destination, which is where his wife and kids live. With that, it doesn't seem likely he would want to once again have the fishbowl existence of playing in a Canadian market, let alone sign elsewhere but the Panthers.
The Maple Leafs also seek more grit in a veteran winger than Tarasenko provides. We see Tarasenko signing a multi-year contract this summer, but it won’t be with Toronto.
David Perron, LW, Detroit Red Wings
Likelihood of joining Berube in Toronto: Unlikely
Perron has been a terrific player and a Cup champion with Berube and the Blues. But it’s more likely the 36-year-old will re-sign with Detroit and finish out his stellar NHL career with the Red Wings. Maybe the Leafs could add his leadership and big goals to their top-nine forward group if Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi leave, but he'd be a better fit in Detroit or elsewhere.
Dakota Joshua, LW/C, Vancouver Canucks
Likelihood of joining Berube in Toronto: Possible
Joshua played 42 games with Berube’s Blues over two seasons. He emerged this year as a solid secondary scorer with the Vancouver Canucks, racking up 18 goals, 32 points and a whopping 245 hits in 63 games.
The 28-year-old will get a raise on the $825,000 he earned this season. Given that the Leafs drafted him in 2014, Joshua could return to Toronto and become a fixture in the Buds’ bottom-six forward group. He's got what the Maple Leafs would want in their depth, with scoring and physicality.
Marco Scandella, D, St. Louis Blues
Likelihood of joining Berube in Toronto: Highly unlikely
At age 34, Scandella is too old for what the Maple Leafs need right now on defense. His eight points in 65 games this season aren't that tempting either. He’s also a left-shot defenseman, which the Buds have plenty of already.
Scandella has had a solid NHL career to date, with 784 games played between the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Blues. But a stint with Toronto is almost assuredly not happening.
(We should also mention Sammy Blais, who won the Cup with Berube as well but only had seven points in 53 games this season. Like with Scandella's production, the temptation isn't there.)
Joel Edmundson, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Likelihood of re-signing in Toronto: Highly likely
After coming to Toronto at the NHL trade deadline, Edmundson made a great impression on the Maple Leafs, providing physicality that the Buds need as much of as possible.
The 30-year-old had a cap hit of $3.5 million in 2023-24, and if he accepts a new contract in that same financial area, the Leafs will do their best to keep him around. Berube values big-bodied blueliners like Edmundson, and getting his signature on a two- or three-year deal will be a victory for Leafs GM Brad Treliving.
Of all the players mentioned here, Edmundson is the most probable to stay in Toronto, as the Leafs value what he brings to the table.
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