Former Toronto Maple Leafs Defenseman Struggling for Work.

Even though August is halfway over and players are getting ready to report for September training camps, many former Toronto Maple Leafs are still without a contract for the upcoming campaign.

Defenseman Tyson Barrie is leading the group of players who have worn the Toronto Maple Leafs uniform in the past. After the historic Nazem Kadri trade, the 5’11” offensive defenseman joined the team in the 2019–20 NHL season. The franchise shipped Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Barrie and Alex Kerfoot, along with a third-round selection; the transaction would eventually be seen by many fans as the worst of the Kyle Dubas trade.

Known as the “powerplay wizard” in the locker room, Barrie entered after three seasons with 50 or more points, including a 59-point effort the season before the trade. Unfortunately, a lot of supporters used him as a whipping boy because of defensive blunders during the season. He would sign a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers after being granted free agency, and he would return the next season, scoring 48 points in the 56 games that were cut short due to COVID. As he scored almost half of his points with the man advantage, he demonstrated that he was still a premier powerplay quarterback.

Tyson Barrie Appeared to Return to Form in Edmonton

His resurgence as a player shown that he remained a prudent investment, and in the next off-season, he secured a three-year contract to return to the capital of Alberta, with a $4.5 million cap hit. Barrie’s stats declined significantly in his second season with the Oilers and the first of his new deal, as he recorded 41 points and had the least amount of ice time in his career since his sophomore year.

The Oilers traded Barrie to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Mattias Ekholm, a top prospect, and a first round pick, even though he was putting up respectable numbers. The Oilers needed to shed salary in order to acquire a more elite all-around defenseman. Barrie was traded halfway through his three-year deal, despite believing he would play for a couple years with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Barrie had a difficult season last year, which was partly brought on by injuries but also by a decline in his play. The management wanted to let him go and even granted him permission to explore for a trade, but nothing materialized. After the Christmas break ended, he struggled to crack into the starting lineup, appearing in just 11 games in 2024 and then in just one more during the postseason.