The Montreal Canadiens have landed one of the top remaining free agents, agreeing to terms with Tyler Toffoli to a four-year contract worth a total of $17MM. That gives Toffoli a $4.25MM average annual value, actually a little lower than the $4.6MM cap hit he has carried the last three seasons and well below what most believed he would receive this off-season. The deal also does not contain any trade protection.
Toffoli, 28, has settled for a multi-year deal that pays him market value for his floor, but not close to his ceiling. Toffoli is a four-time 20-goal scorer, including one season with over 30 tallies, and has four seasons of 40+ points. While he did have a pair of seasons with the Los Angeles Kings in which he only managed 34 points, his norm is well above that mark. In fact, his 82-game pace with the Kings and Vancouver Canucks last season was 29 goals and 53 points. 82 games is not uncommon for Toffoli either; the two-way winger has played in every game in three seasons and has never played in fewer than 62 games since becoming a full-time NHLer. If Toffoli can stay healthy through this contract, which does take him into his thirties, and scores even at his career average rate, this is a bargain deal for the Canadiens.
Toffoli plays a smart, two-way style. He isn’t overly physical and doesn’t dominate the typical defensive stats, but is a capable penalty killer and an effective forechecker. Offensively, Toffoli can make zone entries, gets to the net, and creates scoring opportunities. A solid all-around player, Toffoli has been an analytics darling throughout his career with his ability to positively impact play leading to strong possession numbers and high scoring expectations. With Montreal, Toffoli joins a now lethal group at right wing, including fellow new acquisition Josh Anderson and career Canadien Brendan Gallagher. Toffoli is likely to challenge for a top line role, but there is no way of knowing how that group will shake out. Either way, Toffoli will produce at even strength and will be an asset on special teams.
While this signing should make Montreal fans very happy, fans of another team in Canada have to be frustrated at this point. Prior to the opening of free agency, the Vancouver Canucks had stated over and over that they hoped to re-sign all three of Toffoli, Jacob Markstrom, and Chris Tanev, if at all possible. Four days into free agency, Toffoli’s deal with the Habs means the Canucks have lost all three of their “priorities” this off-season, with Markstom and Tanev joining the rival Calgary Flames. The inexplicable inactivity out of Vancouver is one of the biggest head-scratchers of the off-season, especially with Toffoli signing such a reasonable deal.
Great signing by the Habs will help with goal scoring and PP…
Also good in his own end! With Anderson and toffoli locked up on the wing the Habs have improved a lot this offseason
How does Josh Anderson get more money than Toffoli. Bizarre
@tgslug84 – I’ll see your “bizarre” and raise you one “insane”…
People seem to forget what Anderson brings to the game, there was a reason he was the most coveted player on the trade block this year. It was reported close to 20 teams called Columbus
@Sillysundin – People don’t forget his injury history, though.
People also don’t research how that injury heals
@Sillysundin – Not all injuries heal the same, and sometimes not really at all. That “scar tissue” thing comes to mind, speaking first-hand…
Marc is the GM. It ia bizaare and insane no doubt. Marc belongs in a rubber room anyway.
I liked the deal at first, then wondered what Bergevin was thinking, and now I kind of see it.
Solid deal for a good player. Then pair him with Gallagher, seems OK. Then I remembered “hey, didn’t they just give Josh Anderson a huge stupid contract?” and wondered who is going to end up on the third line.
But, looking at their roster, the Habs have no first line or third line. They are basically going to be rolling out 3 second lines.
And in order to do that, they need 3 decent right wings, and they now have them.
Rare Marc Bergevin W
Nice deal. Guys good for 20/20 at least every year and good defensively.
Indeed a rare W for marky B.
If nothing is added to the Canucks roster
The dumpster fire that is Jim Benning continues
Benning’s job was to not clog up his cap room with mid tier players for when the absolutely elite players he drafted like Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson need huge deals.
That’s what he did.
I repeat dumpster fire.
That cap issue is self made.
JB hasn’t done anything.
Horrible FA signings
Bad trades
No insight on drafting ( judd did it all after OJ )
They need to can him before he give EP and QH 10 mill each
What a disaster of an offseason for the Canucks lol
That’s actually a pretty good deal for mtl, Toffoli could even be unprotected for Seattle
The question now is who will he trade…..who ever it is i hope we get more then a 5th round pick for him…
Is this the end of Gallagher in Montreal…RW depth the next 4 years…Anderson(7 years), Toffili (4 years), and Caufield knocking in the door…where does that leave Gallagher who would demand a 7 year 42-53 million contract….I live Gally but this may be the end of the line…