As the Maple Leafs look to put finishing touches on their 25-26 lineup, the squad could use some more depth pieces to sprinkle throughout their lineup particularly on the back end.
Nestor Quixtan of Heavy Sports has put to the table an intriguing option for the Leafs to consider adding to the blueline: Former Toronto dman Tyson Barrie.
The 34 year old Victoria native is entering the waning stages of his career. Barrie had a tough season with Calgary last season only playing 13 games after bouncing around between the Flames and Wranglers. Wherever Barrie signs next could be his last destination at this stage of his NHL journey, why not a return to Toronto to conclude the run?
This would be purely a depth signing for the Leafs. Barrie would not have to play every night. He could be a nice option to have on the D core in case of injuries. And its always good for a contending team to have an experienced veteran presence down the stretch run of the season come playoff time, not to mention a player who is as well liked in the locker room as Tyson Barrie. The best part is Tyson is one of the few players available who fits in the Leafs lineup right now with their murky salary cap situation assuming a signing would be below $1 million on a PTO type deal.
Barrie last played with the Leafs in the 2019-20 season, recording 5 goals and 34 assists for 39 points in 70 games. Over the course of his 822 game career, he has registered 110 goals and 398 assists for 508 points in 822 games. In his playoff career, he has totaled 2 goals and 19 assists in 47 games.
