The Maple Leafs head into the 2026 off-season with a clear checklist, even if the free-agent board itself looks thin. Toronto missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2025-26, and the plan now is to retool quickly and put together a group that can get back into the postseason in 2026-27.
The biggest need is down the middle. Toronto would ideally like to slide John Tavares into a third-line center role, but even if new coach Jim Hiller keeps him in the second-line spot, the Leafs still need another center for the third line.
With $22.2 million in salary cap space, signing an experienced pivot figures to be one of the club’s priorities. Boone Jenner of the Columbus Blue Jackets is one player who could fit what Toronto is trying to build.
Help on the wing is another item on the list. The Leafs got a major boost when they won the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, then added the most skilled player in the 2026 NHL draft in Gavin McKenna.
Even so, they still need more on the outside. A high-priced swing at someone like former Buffalo Sabres and current Washington Capitals winger Alex Tuch was never likely for Toronto, but there are other names out there, including New York Islanders forward Anders Lee and Montreal Canadiens sniper Patrik Laine.
Toronto also needs more depth in the bottom six. Bo Groulx and Steven Lorentz give the team some competition there, but if John Chayka moves wingers Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson, the Leafs will have to reinforce the third and fourth lines.
Chayka has already started reshaping the roster, and not just through the draft. He’s been working to fix the back end while moving from a position of strength, including trading goalie Joseph Woll to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The acquisition of defenseman Darren Raddysh is also likely to trigger more movement among Leafs defensemen, as seen with the Brandon Carlo deal to the St. Louis Blues.
The bigger picture is a roster still in transition as Chayka settles into the GM job. Toronto’s free-agent market may be shallow, but Chayka has already shown he’s willing to jump in early by acquiring Raddysh’s contractual rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s a move with some risk attached, but it also shows the Leafs are attacking their weak spots instead of waiting around.
Free agency won’t solve everything, especially with so few high-end players reaching the market. But if Toronto can land the right piece or two, it should be in much better shape than it was this season. The next few weeks should give a good read on how aggressively the Leafs plan to reshape themselves.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Finally Be Eyeing A Free Agency Splash
The Maple Leafs are moving out of draft-week mode and into the part of the calendar where front offices start making harder choices, with qualifying offers for restricted free agents due at noon tomorrow before free agency opens Wednesday at noon. That shift usually brings more noise than answers, especially for a team that has spent time weighing prospects, trade possibilities and where it can realistically add help without chasing the entire market.
John Chayka has already been careful when asked about goaltending and depth planning, which fits the mood around a club trying to map out a summer rather than force one. The bigger question is whether Toronto finally takes a real swing in free agency, and if it does, how aggressive it wants to be on a veteran who fits a need, knows the market and could be looking for stability on a deal in the neighborhood of what the Leafs have handed out before. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Suddenly Linked To A Blue Line Prize With A Catch
The blue line market has a suddenly intriguing name in it, and Zach Werenski is drawing attention well beyond Columbus. The Blue Jackets defenseman is being described as a trade candidate with several NHL teams already checking in, including Dallas, Philadelphia, San Jose and Carolina, while Toronto has emerged as a possible fit in a way that naturally stands out for a club always looking for impact help on defense.
What makes the Maple Leafs angle different is the personal side of it, since Werenskis link to Auston Matthews gives Toronto a real foothold in a conversation that otherwise figures to be crowded. Columbus GM Don Waddell is expected to meet with Werenski soon, and the Blue Jackets are already listening to offers with his contract situation in mind, which keeps this one very much alive even if a deal still feels like the kind of pursuit that could take some serious sorting out. [Read more 🡒]
One Leafs Decision Could Still Reshape This Team For Years
The Maple Leafs have already done plenty of work around the edges this offseason, with recent moves involving Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit and Brandon Carlo helping reshape the roster while Darren Raddysh and added draft capital give the front office more flexibility. Even so, the biggest questions in Toronto are still sitting in front of them, and they go beyond one transaction or one lineup tweak. Goaltending has been addressed in part, but not fully, and the wider picture still depends on how aggressively the club wants to keep changing course.
Morgan Riellys situation is part of that bigger conversation, since his future remains one of the more consequential variables in the room. If Toronto decides it needs another major swing, the ripple effects could reach into the free-agent market and even determine whether this becomes a short-term patch job or the start of a much larger reset. For now, the Leafs have plenty of paths to consider and no shortage of pressure to choose carefully. [Read more 🡒]