With competition from many other teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed KHL free agent Mikko Lehtonen, who is the best defenseman in the KHL and its sixth leading scorer overall, this past season.
At the very least, Lehtonen will provide the Leafs with a solid 3rd pairing player making under a million dollars per year.
That’s at the very least. He definitely has upside which could see the Leafs suddenly having one of the better groups of blue-liners in the NHL.
Since the Leafs are very deep with left shooting defensemen – they also have Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Travis Dermott and Rasums Sandin – it is logical to think that Travis Dermott may be on his way out.