I bet he stays a leaf. Fits that roster too they need someone who can play up and down lines and add some secondary scoring.
This. He's also bounced around a ton in his career -- and not because he's the most desirable player that always ends up on a bad team.
I get the sense that teams are going to be a little weary of giving him a 3-5 year deal at $4m+; knowing his background.
For Toronto, he's a C/W who likes to distribtue to a fault.... if you're at all considering not havign Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews play together, he's the ideal guy to play alongside Matthews, who you have locked up to a reasonable term.
That being said, he's at a bit of an interesting age. At 29, does he want to try and cash in on another deal at 32-33? or does he go for one that gives him the most security.
My guess is that he'll do a 3-year deal at $4m with a heavy bonus structure; with the hope of continuing his solid play and finding his grove as a AM34 running mate and/or maybe being a 2nd Line C; and then going to UFA again at age 32 with what is hopefully a track record of stability & successs and a much higher salary cap.