The Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time on day two of free agency, making moves to strengthen their blue line by signing a pair of defenseman to one-year deals. Former Minnesota Wild Dakota Mermis and former Tampa Bay Lightning Philippe Myers both agreed to two-way contracts worth $775,000.
Mermis, a veteran at 27, has spent the majority of his career in the AHL. Last season, he showcased his skills by playing 61 games with the Syracuse Crunch and tallying 23 points. Myers, a towering 6’6″ defenseman, also has AHL experience and appeared in 5 games with Tampa Bay in the 2023-24 season. With 158 NHL games under his belt, Myers has recorded 36 points and even earned a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2017 World Juniors. There is potential for Myers to make an impact at the NHL level, but only time will tell.
The Maple Leafs had a clear goal this offseason to solidify their defense after giving up an average of 3.18 goals per game last season. General Manager Brad Treliving made moves to address this issue by signing defensive stalwart Chris Tanev and offensive-minded Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson had a standout season with the Florida Panthers in 2023-24, providing stability on the third pair.
The additions of Mermis and Myers will bolster the Maple Leafs’ blue line, with both players expected to compete for bottom pairing spots in training camp. Myers, a right-shot defenseman, fills a positional need for Toronto, while Mermis brings reliability and experience playing consistently at the NHL level.
In addition to the defensive signings, Toronto added Cedric Pare, a forward from Levis, QC. Pare had a solid season with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, registering 35 points in 61 games. He will have the opportunity to showcase his skills with the Toronto Marlies.
With these recent acquisitions, the Maple Leafs are looking to improve their defensive depth and compete at a higher level in the upcoming season. It remains to be seen how Mermis, Myers, and Pare will contribute to the team, but the potential for success is certainly there.
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In conclusion, the Maple Leafs have made significant moves to address their defensive shortcomings and are hoping that the new signings will help shore up their blue line for the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see how Mermis, Myers, and Pare integrate into the team and contribute to Toronto’s success on the ice.
