The Toronto Maple Leafs have two separate storylines worth watching right now, and both say something about where the team stands early in the season: one reaches back to the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and the other is about a veteran forward getting another shot to help a struggling bottom six.
On the draft side, Ivar Stenberg’s comments about his time with Toronto are the latest wrinkle in a pick that already has people talking. Gavin McKenna went first overall to the Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Draft, with Stenberg taken second by the San Jose Sharks.
Now Stenberg has said the meetings he had with Toronto did not go well, adding that he didn’t feel the organization was the right fit for him. He also said he’s happy to be in San Jose.
That kind of honesty is rare, and it adds another layer to a decision that was always going to be judged for years, not days. Toronto clearly preferred McKenna, while Stenberg apparently walked away from his interviews unconvinced that the Maple Leafs were where he belonged.
Draft meetings are a two-way street, and this one seems to have gone that way. Sometimes the talent is there, but the fit isn’t.
Stenberg has settled in well enough so far with the Sharks, putting up six points in eight games and landing in a young core that includes Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. McKenna, meanwhile, is just getting started under the pressure that comes with being Toronto’s first-overall pick.
The comparison is obvious, especially with the Maple Leafs looking for answers, but it’s far too early to make any sweeping call on who won that draft moment. For now, the takeaway is simpler: comfort and fit can matter just as much as raw ability.
The more immediate move for Toronto could come with Vinni Lettieri, who has been called up as the Maple Leafs search for more offense. If he gets into the lineup, he’d give the club another experienced body to try in the bottom six.
Lettieri, 31, put together a strong year with the Toronto Marlies, scoring 14 goals and 42 points in 55 regular-season games before adding 11 goals and 26 points in their Calder Cup playoff run. He’s not new to the NHL either, having played 155 games with the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Boston Bruins, and he has 15 goals and 32 points at that level. He’s got a good shot, and the Maple Leafs could even give him a look on the second power-play unit.
Toronto does have other names in the organization, including Brendan Brisson and Miles Wood, but Lettieri has been a steady presence for the Marlies and has earned a chance after doing the work. He’s not coming in to fix everything on his own, but the Leafs are clearly looking for any sensible boost they can find.
At this stage, the McKenna-Stenberg angle is more about perspective than verdicts. A few NHL games won’t settle the debate, and neither player is close to having his story written.
But Lettieri’s opportunity is a different matter. If the call-up sticks, the question becomes whether his AHL production can carry over into useful NHL minutes.
Toronto doesn’t need a miracle. It just needs someone who can fill the role in front of him.
In Other News...
Macklin Celebrini Gave The Sharks A Boost They Desperately Needed
The Sharks had little margin for error in Montreal, especially after falling behind by two goals, but they found enough push to claw back and leave town with a 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens. The result nudged San Jose to 5-4-1 and gave the club another useful checkpoint on a six-game road trip that has already produced a few reminders that this group can hang around even when the night starts badly.
Macklin Celebrini was at the center of it again, giving San Jose the finish it needed when the game reached overtime. The Sharks were also operating without Alexander Wennberg, who exited Mondays game with an upper-body injury and was unavailable against Montreal, leaving his status day-to-day as the team waits to see how its lineup settles in for the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Lose A Key Defensive Piece At The Worst Time
The Sharks are dealing with another lineup question after Alexander Wennberg was forced out of Mondays loss at Toronto in the third period with an upper-body injury. His availability matters because he has been part of San Joses forward mix, and any absence changes the way the club lines up down the middle and in support roles as it heads into the next stretch.
San Jose was already left to make an adjustment against Montreal, where Ty Dellandrea stepped into the lineup in Wennbergs place. With Wennberg now considered day-to-day, the Sharks will be watching closely to see whether this is a short-term absence or something that keeps them reshuffling the forward group again in the immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Celebrini Gives Sharks Fans Another Reason To Believe
The Sharks left Montreal with a 4-3 overtime win that fit the kind of night their fans have been waiting to see more often. San Jose got goals from Michael Misa and Tyler Toffoli along with a two-goal performance from Macklin Celebrini, and the result at the Bell Center offered another reminder that this group can skate with some resilience when the game gets tight and the stakes start to rise.
Celebrini has been at the center of that optimism, giving San Jose a young cornerstone who can tilt a game in a hurry. The win also showed the value of having more than one source of offense, with Toffoli and Misa each finding the net as the Sharks kept pushing through a back-and-forth night that ended with two points on the road and another reason for their supporters to lean in. [Read more 🡒]