Last week, I went through some of the right-handed defencemen that the Maple Leafs could target this offseason. I thought it would be fun to follow that up with a deep dive into the centres they could pursue this summer.



I’ll be releasing this breakdown in two parts. Here we’re going to explore the big names in free agency, while Friday’s piece will cover some of the more cost-efficient options.



Before I start, let me just say that the pipe-dream of signing Tavares this summer is obviously desirable. Rather than stating the obvious, let’s look into some of the other big names that Toronto could target this summer.



Joe Thornton



The Leafs were reportedly in on Joe Thornton last offseason (which would help explain why San Jose had to pay him as much as $8-million to keep him on a one-year deal), so it’s possible Toronto will take another swing at Jumbo Joe this summer. After coming off of a severe knee injury and...