Can Maple Leafs Bring Together Old Friends in Oesterle & Bertuzzi

A rumor is circulating that the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown interest in signing Jordan Oesterle as a depth defenseman to bolster their NHL and AHL rosters. Oesterle, 31, divided his time last season between the Calgary Flames in the NHL and their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. In 22 NHL games, he contributed two assists while averaging 13:31 in ice time.

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Given his experience – nearly 400 NHL games under his belt, Oesterle could provide much-needed depth for the Maple Leafs, who are poised to lose T.J. Brodie, Joel Edmundson, Mark Giordano, and Ilya Lyubushkin to free agency.

Oesterle Is Likely to Sign a Low-Cost Contract

Oesterle signed a one-year, $925k deal with the Flames last summer and would likely be looking for a similar contract this offseason. This makes him an affordable depth option for Toronto, especially with their top players consuming a significant portion of the salary cap.

However, in all this, is there more potential than just bringing in Oesterle? Is his close friendship with Tyler Bertuzzi a persuasive twist to this potential signing? Although Bertuzzi had a roller-coaster first season in Toronto, he finished strong. Ultimately, he had accomplished a fourth season with at least 20 goals and 40 points.

The rumor is that, on the open market, Bertuzzi could still command a significant contract. However, given his uneven performance last season, he’d likely sign for around $5 million per season, which would be a slight discount.

By signing Oesterle, is Maple Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving trying to make an intelligent move by leveraging his relationship with Bertuzzi to encourage Bertuzzi to re-sign? Oesterle and Bertuzzi developed a strong friendship during their time together in Detroit, and bringing Oesterle to Toronto could create a positive environment that might entice Bertuzzi to stay.

Why This Matters for the Maple Leafs

If the Maple Leafs signed Oesterle, there might be two possible benefits. First, the most obvious is that he would help the team mediate its salary cap space more effectively. He’d come at a low cost and would provide depth without squeezing the budget. Additionally, if that impacted a Bertuzzi retention, that could help preserve the team’s offensive production.

There are also at least two other potential positives. First, having a roster of friends who will stick up for each other is never wrong. Second, wouldn’t it be nice to find another diamond in the rough in Oesterle like the team did last season with Simon Benoit?

Friends Can Influence Friends on Any Team

The bottom line is that teams do well by leveraging personal relationships and focusing on team chemistry. The Maple Leafs have been successful in that strategy in the past. They signed Ondřej Kaše before the 2021-22 season mainly because he wanted to play with his friend David Kämpf. Despite his history of concussions, Kaše contributed effectively during his season in Toronto.

Although his time with the Maple Leafs was short-lived, Kaše’s experience emphasizes the importance of personal connections in player performance and retention. The good news is that Kaše was part of Czechia’s world championship team this offseason and seems ready to resume an NHL career now that his concussion issues seem under control.

This strategic approach highlights the importance of considering personal dynamics within the team, which can sometimes be the deciding factor in player retention and overall team success. If Treliving can pull this off, it could be a masterstroke in ensuring depth and continuity for the Maple Leafs as they aim for a deep playoff run.

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