Predicting where each free agent will go is an impossible task, but we’re not going to let that stop us from trying. I gave a rough ranking of 50 free agents, but please don’t read too much into the order. The focus was on predicting the destination.
In terms of the Leafs, I’m expecting them to acquire a goalie like Darcy Kuemper via the trade route. It’s going to be tough for them to win any bidding wars in free agency, so I’m expecting most of their big additions to come via trade. Of course, one free agent signing can have a domino effect on the rest of the players, especially in the goalie market, but hopefully this exercise helps narrow down a few of the best suitors for each player.