Maple Leafs Link to Reuniting with $4 Million Forward in Free Agency.

According to Jonas Siegel of The Athletic, the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering reuniting with Edmonton Oilers forward Connor Brown in free agency. Brown signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with the Oilers, who lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers. With Brown ready to become an unrestricted free agent, Siegel believes reuniting with the Maple Leafs makes sense. “Edmonton will most likely try to bring Brown back next season. If the Oilers are unable to find the necessary cap space, the Leafs should consider reuniting. Brown had a tough regular season. He scored only four goals in 71 games.

It was his first year back after missing the majority of the 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL,” Siegel wrote in his June 25 story. “There is reason to believe that the second year after the injury will go more smoothly. His postseason performance has suggested that possibility. He is also unlikely to shoot 3.7% again. Brown is expected to score 15-20 goals this season, particularly if he plays on one of the Leafs’ top two lines. The fact that Brown improved his game in the postseason should undoubtedly appeal to the Leafs,” Siegel added.

Brown’s Experience With the Maple Leafs.

Brown was selected by the Maple Leafs with the 156th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. Following his selection, he returned to the OHL’s Erie Otters and was chosen team captain. The forward then spent parts of two seasons with the AHL Toronto Marlies before making his NHL debut on March 17, 2016, and became a full-time NHL player during the 2016–2017 season. Brown appeared in 82 games over three consecutive seasons before being traded to the Ottawa Senators on July 1, 2019. Brown appeared in 253 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs from 2016 to 2019, scoring 43 goals and 56 assists for 99 points.