Brandon Saad Could Sign Today as Two Teams Emerge as Favorites
The Brandon Saad sweepstakes is nearing an end, as it's reported he will sign shortly, and two teams have emerged as the likely front-runners for his services.
Brandon Saad and the St. Louis Blues have officially parted ways, making the veteran forward an unrestricted free agent as of Friday. Several teams are expected to pursue him, with two teams being mentioned as the frontrunners.
That is according to TSN's Chris Johnston, appearing on 'Insider Trading', as the Leafs, along with the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, and Tampa Bay Lightning, all have interest in signing the soon-to-be 32-year-old winger.
Edmonton and Toronto the frontrunners per Nick Kypreos
Nick Kypreos believes it may come down to two teams, however, the Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
The move out the door by Saad comes on the heels of an agreement between he and the Blues to terminate his contract. He was waived this week with the idea of sending him to the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds, but he refused the assignment.
That, for all intents and purposes, means he's walking away from the remainder of the five-year, $22.5 million deal that carried a $4.5 million cap hit.
Whether or not the Leafs can sign Saad depends on their cap situation and his contract demands. The Leafs currently have just over $2 million in cap space, though long-term injured reserve adjustments could provide over $6 million in flexibility.
If they can make room, Saad would bring some nice depth to their bottom six up front. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, he tallied 26 goals and 42 points in 82 games last season, his highest goal total since 2015-16. This season, he has seven goals and 16 points in 43 games.
Notably, Saad did play under current Leafs head coach Craig Berube in St. Louis, a factor that has been speculated about in Toronto's pursuit.
The Oilers, meanwhile, also have their hands full juggling contracts with many key players set to be free agents, so it will be interesting to see what salary cuts they can make if they are to pursue Saad.
