With the waiver wire moving fast ahead of Monday’s 5 PM roster deadline, the Maple Leafs have a small but intriguing opportunity in front of them: Ryan Suzuki.
Placed on waivers by the Ottawa Senators as they work to trim their roster, Suzuki could be a useful depth pickup for Toronto, even if he’s not the kind of addition that changes a lineup overnight. He’d fit as bottom-six insurance, and at $850,000, he wouldn’t come with a heavy price tag. He also isn’t tied to a long-term commitment.
Suzuki, 25, has put together a strong two-year run with the Chicago Wolves, piling up 107 points in 135 games. He’s already seen plenty of the Maple Leafs too, having gone up against several of their prospects and roster players in the Calder Cup Final. He brings playmaking touch, uses his quickness to create space, and can finish.
For Toronto, the appeal isn’t just about adding another forward to the mix. There’s a built-in storyline here that would add a fresh wrinkle to the Maple Leafs-Canadiens rivalry: Ryan is the brother of Montreal captain Nick Suzuki.
That alone gives the situation some extra bite. The two brothers wouldn’t likely line up against each other often, since Nick is an elite top-line player and Ryan is more of a depth option, but there would still be plenty of motivation attached to the move. And with the Maple Leafs and Canadiens scheduled to meet four times this season, the possibility of brotherly competition adds another layer.
There’s also a practical side to it. Toronto’s bottom-six injury situation leaves room for some insurance, and Suzuki would give the club another capable forward if the opportunity is there.
The problem is the cap. The Maple Leafs are already above the cap and essentially locked in for the season, so a claim is far from guaranteed. Still, if they can make it work, they’d get a useful depth piece - and they’d stir the pot in a rivalry that hardly needs any help.
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For Toronto, the timing makes the whole thing more interesting but not especially practical. The Maple Leafs have limited roster and cap space after their recent signings, which means even a player with a familiar face or a useful fit has to clear more than just a quick look from the hockey ops staff. It is the kind of waiver window that can create a lot of noise around former Leafs, even when the path back to Toronto is harder than it looks. [Read more 🡒]