Philippe Myers looks like the odd man out in Toronto’s revamped blue line.
The Maple Leafs spent the offseason reshaping their defense, aiming for a group that is more mobile, younger, and better at stopping chances after allowing the second most goals in the NHL. John Chayka added Emil Andrae and Darren Raddysh, brought back Troy Stecher, and moved on from Simon Benoit. There have also been reported trade talks involving Morgan Rielly if he chooses to waive his NMC.
That overhaul has squeezed Myers out of the picture.
Toronto signed Myers as a free agent in the summer of 2024 hoping to get size, a right-handed shot, and some playmaking on a roster that needed all three. Instead, he never really found his footing, and last season turned into a struggle.
In 39 games, Myers finished with two assists, a minus-10 rating, and 35 giveaways against only four takeaways. He was frequently out of position or unable to handle opponents, and his numbers reflected it: a horrible -8.5 xGF/xGA differential, with the Maple Leafs expected to be scored on 23.2% of the time while being expected to score only 14.6% of the time.
Even before this summer’s changes, Myers already seemed to be slipping down the pecking order. He barely played despite Toronto needing bodies, and he was quickly overtaken by Stecher, who earned a new contract this offseason.
That is why Myers has emerged as one of the team’s top trade candidates. The return would likely be modest, but that is not really the point.
Toronto’s priority is clearing his $850,000 cap hit and opening a roster spot for a PTO or another signing. A low draft pick or future considerations would be enough to make that happen.
Moving Myers would also create a cleaner path for younger right-shot defensemen like William Villeneuve or Ben Danford. Villeneuve brings offense, while Danford offers shutdown ability.
There is no public sign the Maple Leafs are actively moving Myers right now, and waiving him to the AHL remains another possible route. But that would still leave Toronto needing to find a spot for him there, and the organization is already full on the blueline.
The message from the offseason has been clear: if a player does not fit the new look, he can be moved out. Benoit was the example. Myers may be next.
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Maple Leafs Still Have 3 Free Agent Decisions To Make
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Tolvanen brings the most upside as a possible top-six option, while Bunting would be the familiar face in the mix after spending his best years in Toronto and carving out a role as a middle-six winger. Blankenburg, meanwhile, would give the Leafs an affordable right-shot depth defenseman, which is the sort of low-risk addition that can still matter when the lineup tightens up later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Maple Leafs, the more relevant movement came on the organizational side, where the Marlies hockey operations and coaching staff received a fresh round of official changes. Chris Bourque was named assistant GM alongside Ryan Hardy, Jeremiah Crowe was brought in as Director of Player Personnel, and Denver Manderson and Greg Moore were added as assistant coaches for Steve Sullivan and Mark Giordano, a set of moves that signals the Leafs are continuing to shape the development pipeline behind the NHL roster. [Read more 🡒]