The Maple Leafs enter the eve of NHL free agency with a couple of big names hovering around their roster picture, and one of them suddenly looks a little more realistic than it did 24 hours ago.
Sergei Bobrovsky and Mason Marchment have both been linked to Toronto, but the goaltending situation got a fresh wrinkle Tuesday when the Florida Panthers added Jacob Markstrom in a trade with the New Jersey Devils. That came one day after Florida picked up Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights, setting up Markstrom and Schmid as the new tandem in South Florida.
For the Leafs, that development matters because Bobrovsky, 37, has been mentioned as a possible fit in Toronto. If he signs, he would be the starter.
Marchment is another name to watch. A source indicated Tuesday that he has a “50-50” chance of signing with the Leafs. If he lands in Toronto, he would at minimum fit on the third line, though there is also a path for him to push into the top six.
Cap space is not the issue. The Leafs are about $20.9 million US under the salary cap, but that money is not all free and clear. They still need to sign the five players who received qualifying offers on Monday, along with first-overall pick Gavin McKenna.
So before the market opens, Toronto’s roster already has a few moving parts. Start with the crease, where Bobrovsky remains the headline name, even with the .877 save percentage he posted in 52 games for Florida last season - a career low over his 16 NHL seasons.
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Senators Could Target Two Leafs Fits Fans Never Expected
Ottawa has already done business with Toronto this offseason, bringing in goalie Samuel Ersson for a 2027 fifth-round pick, and the next question is whether the Senators are willing to keep looking north of the border for help. Even without a qualifying offer in hand, Ersson is expected to sign with Ottawa, which only adds to the sense that the Senators are still mining the Maple Leafs for affordable roster fits as they try to round out the lineup.
Two names keep surfacing in that conversation: Nick Robertson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Robertsons scoring touch and Ekman-Larssons veteran impact make for a curious pair of targets, especially for a Senators team searching for players who can slide into the right role without forcing a bigger overhaul, and the appeal is obvious enough that it is worth watching how far Ottawa is willing to push this idea. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Suddenly Have A Toronto Scoring Target Worth Debating
After adding William Eklund and Andre Burakovsky this offseason, the Senators still look like a club that could use more help up front, especially if they want their forward group to feel deeper than just the recent splash moves. One name that makes some sense in that conversation is Matias Maccelli, a Toronto winger whose season offered enough production to keep him on the radar as a possible fit for Ottawa.
Maccellis value for the Senators would come less from star power than from versatility, since he can slide into the middle six and give a coach another option to mix into the second or third line. He also brings the kind of puck-moving skill that tends to travel well in a top-nine role, which is exactly why he is the sort of player Ottawa may have to decide whether to chase before the market gets busy. [Read more 🡒]
Senators May Be Eyeing A Division Swing Fans Will Debate
Theres a local angle to the latest Senators trade chatter that is easy to see why it would resonate. Ottawa has reportedly shown interest in Buffalo forward Jack Quinn, the Ottawa native and former 67s player who has built enough of a profile to be viewed as a possible fit higher up in the lineup. He is entering the final year of his contract and is expected to reach restricted free agency next summer, which only adds to the appeal for a team still sorting out its long-term forward mix.
The Sabres, for their part, are said to be open to moving him if the return helps them address another need, and that is where the talks get more interesting for Ottawa. Buffalo may be looking for a prospect such as Logan Hensler, a right-shot defenceman from its 2025 draft class, as it tries to strengthen a thin defensive pipeline. It is the kind of framework that can make sense on paper, even if the real challenge is finding the exact price that works for both sides. [Read more 🡒]