The Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to sign many elite-level free players at the beginning of July, but we keep hearing them publicly say they turned down the Canadian organization.
The most recent addition to the list is defenseman Brandon Montour, who won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024 before signing with the lowly Seattle Kraken in free agency.
Montour spoke on TSN’s OverDrive on July 18, where he stated that the Leafs were interested in signing him and that he and his agent had discussions with the team but eventually declined.
“There were conversations [with the Maple Leafs],” Montour stated. “When I looked at the roster and myself, I realized I could probably help, which was exciting. But [free agency] involves a lot of considerations for my family’s needs as well as business decisions.”
Montour decided to sign a seven-year, $49.98 million contract with the Kraken on July 1, the first day of free agency.
Montour was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. However, he chose to sign with Seattle since the franchise appealed to him. According to the blueliner, winning the first Cup in Kraken’s history would be his dream, just as bringing the first championship to Florida was.
“Looking back, the big thing that was really cool with winning in Florida was that it was their very first championship and experiencing that together,” Montour told me. “Thinking about Seattle and to have the chance to do that there excites me.”
Montour’s Journey From Florida to Seattle
Montour’s lucrative $50 million contract with Seattle was within Toronto’s reach, but only because of his breakout season with the Panthers, which helped the organization win the Cup.
The defenseman finished the 2023-24 season with 8 goals and 25 assists, totaling 33 points in 66 regular-season games. Montour subsequently added three goals and eight assists in the postseason, totaling 11 points.
The Kraken was at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Panthers’ success in 2024. Seattle missed the playoffs, but they had enough potential to persuade Montour to sign a long-term contract with the team.
The Kraken, which was founded prior to the 2021-22 season, qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 2023 and proceeded to the second round before losing 4-3 in seven games to the Dallas Stars.
The Anaheim Ducks selected Montour with the 55th overall choice in the 2014 NHL draft. Montour has been with the Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, and Panthers since his debut in 2016-17.
Montour has skated in 510 regular-season games scoring 66 goals and assisting 186 for 252 total points.
Maple Leafs Rejected Multiple Times in Free Agency
The Toronto Maple Leafs received multiple rejections during the early days of free agency, when the finest players on the market were still available.
Aside from Montour, they wanted defenseman Matt Roy, but the former Los Angeles Kings blueliner chose to sign a four-year, $14 million contract with the Washington Capitals. On July 8, Chris Johnston announced Toronto’s interest in Roy on the Steve Dangle podcast.
“I believe Matt Roy was a little bit of the one that got away. They were intrigued in Brady Skjei, but it was evident early on that wasn’t going to be the case. They called on Pesce, but I didn’t get the impression that it was ever (near). Roy was a major target,” Johnston stated on the SDPN.
Furthermore, the Leafs attempted to sign forward Jeff Skinner after the Sabres bought out his contract, but Skinner instead signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Chris Johnston also provided insight into Skinner’s choice, stating that Toronto no longer appeals to free agents because the team is not regarded a winning club in the league.
“He’s going to Edmonton to win. On the July 2 episode of The Chris Johnston Show, Johnston stated, “He could have signed for one year and $3 million in about ten spots.” “I know the Leafs were among the teams that had talked to him and were trying to pitch him in the idea, ‘Hey, you can play alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on our team!'”
According to Johnston, Skinner’s decision to join the Oilers over the Toronto Maple Leafs reflected his desire to play alongside superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl rather than Matthews and Marner, who may be on the move soon.
