The Toronto Maple Leafs have already spent much of the summer making moves, but Elliotte Friedman says the work may not be finished.
On the final episode of the season for 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Friedman looked at what Toronto has done so far and pointed to the possibility of more before training camp opens in September. His read was simple: if the Leafs see a move that matters, they are still willing to make it.
"We were talking about this team, I don't think they're done swinging. I think if there's something out there that they could do that they see as impactful, they will do it," Friedman said in his season finale of the podcast.
That lines up with the way Toronto has approached the offseason. The Leafs have been active in free agency, taking bigger swings on players like Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky while also trying to shore up the forward group with additions such as Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, and a long list of bottom-six forwards. General manager John Chayka has kept busy, and the message from Friedman was that the pace may not slow down yet.
There is a clear reason for the urgency. Toronto appears to be treating this season as a chance to show captain Auston Matthews that the organization is moving in the right direction, with his eligibility for a major contract extension coming next July 1. The push this summer has been about more than just adding names; it has been about trying to build a roster that can at least look capable of climbing after finishing fifth-worst in the league last season.
The question now is what kind of move is left for them to make.
One obvious name still tied to Toronto is Zach Werenski. The Leafs were in on him already, and if a deal remains possible before Columbus training camp, Friedman’s comments suggest they would be ready to jump back in for the reigning Norris Trophy winner.
A swing could also mean subtraction. Morgan Rielly’s name has continued to surface in rumor chatter, and that remains part of the picture. Or Toronto could simply keep working the margins, adding another free agent or two to keep raising the floor.
Nothing is locked in yet, but the bigger point is clear: the Leafs do not appear ready to stop. Chayka has not treated the early part of July as the end of the job, and Toronto still sounds like a team willing to keep hunting for one more move.
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