Defenseman Cody Franson might not have gotten everything he wanted, but after signing a one-year, $2 million contract, the former restricted free agent was finally able to practice with his teammates. With two preseason games left on the Maple Leafs schedule, he should be penciled in to play in both of them.
In the end, Franson took less money in exchange for it being a one-year deal. That will set him up for what could potentially be a sizable raise next season as he’ll be eligible for arbitration. It also means that he won’t miss any regular season games, which was obviously a big factor for him.
“With the new setup in the standings, you never know which two points are going to be the most important,” Franson told the Toronto Sun, referring to his return.
Franson is projected to play alongside Mark Fraser. His presence will probably mean that 19-year-old Morgan Rielly will not make the team. The Maple Leafs tight cap situation might also encourage them to trade John-Michael Liles, who consumes roughly $3.88 million in cap space anuually.