Rasmus Sandin is wise to break the stalemate and rush to the Maple Leafs camp

TORONTO – It was never just about money.

Opportunity and ice age were always intertwined in Rasmus Sandin’s extended contractual stalemate with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which thankfully ended Thursday morning in a two-year, $2.8 million bridge deal signed eight days after training camp opened.

“This morning Rasmus Sandin and (agent) Lewis Gross reached out to us and let us know that after watching our game last night and seeing further injuries to our defense they wanted to lock this up today so Rasmus can get over Toronto and helping his teammates,” GM Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “We appreciate that Rasmus and his camp took this step today to finalize this deal and give him the time to prepare for the final games of preseason.

“As has been established throughout this process, Rasmus is an important member of the present and future of (our) team and today we are delighted that he is en route to Toronto to prepare for opening night in Montreal.”

The subtext here: Sandin blinked first.

And that’s okay.

The defender accepted a similar bridge deal to one filed months ago for the same term and dollars as his friend and fellow RFA Timothy Liljegren. He won’t miss a paycheck.

The deal is a fair market value for both parties. Nobody ‘won’ the argument and if there is a loss, Sandins’ fitness may have to catch up – but let’s see how he looks on the ice before he decides.

If Dubas made a concession on the deal, it’s that Sandins’ final season deal includes a $1.6 million salary, meaning he’ll have a richer qualifying offer when the 2023-24 season is over RFA is obtained.

Ultimately, it is in everyone’s best interests to fly Sandin from Sweden to Toronto – he will make the journey on Friday.

From the club’s perspective, defenders of NHL caliber were quickly becoming scarce. Veteran Jake Muzzin (rear) has yet to attend full team training. Liljegren (hernia) is at least five weeks away from action.

And next-men Jordie Benn (groin) and Carl Dahlstrom (shoulder) both suffered serious injuries in Wednesday’s pre-season, paving the way for Sandin not only to take on a regular role but also to champion the top 4.

Continuing to sit at home and beg for money that the ailing organization doesn’t have to give (without making a deal) would have done little good for the 22-year-old.

With just 88 NHL games on his résumé, the 2018 first-round pick must act for his own sake.

“It goes without saying,” coach Sheldon Keefe said this week, that top-notch shifts await Sandin once he signs.

Once Sandin is up to speed, the pressure on the leaves is relieved to quickly bring Muzzin or Liljegren back from recovery.

More importantly, a strong showing from the confident left-handed shooter could set him up for the payday and security he really desires by 2024.

The only Maple Leafs defenseman signed after this summer is Morgan Rielly.

That means a top 4 role – and a top 4 salary – dangles in the distance like a carrot. The onus is on Sandin to go out and grab it.

With Sandin’s deal cleaned up, the Maple Leafs are currently $2.9 million over the salary cap, according to CapFriendly.com.

To meet the cap — and sign PTO Zach Aston-Reese as hoped — Dubas must remove salary via LTIR and/or the waiver before opening night.

Assuming Muzzin’s recovery from back pain goes smoothly, the Maple Leafs’ blue line should look something like this when their season kicks off on October 12 at Bell Center:

Morgan Rielly – TJ Brodie

Jake MuzzinJustin Holl

Rasmus Sandin—Mark Giordano