The Maple Leafs added another layer of forward depth on Friday, signing Brendan Brisson to a one-year, two-way contract that gives Toronto a cheap option for both the NHL roster and the AHL side.
The deal is worth $850,000 at the NHL level and $300,000 in the minors. For a team that has been relatively quiet for the past month and a half, it was a notable late-summer move, even if it comes with very little risk.
Brisson, 24, split the 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack. He appeared in three games for the Rangers and picked up one assist, then put together a far more productive stretch in the AHL with Hartford, where he posted 37 points in 66 games on 19 goals and 18 assists.
The former 29th overall pick has nine points in 27 career NHL games with the Rangers and Golden Knights. In the AHL, though, his track record is much stronger: 145 points in 244 games between Henderson and Hartford, including 66 goals.
Toronto hasn’t said whether Brisson is being targeted more as an NHL depth option or an AHL contributor, but he should get a real look at camp. That’s where the Leafs can sort out how he fits and decide what comes next.
The appeal here goes beyond the raw numbers. Brisson still carries the cachet of a former first-round pick, and Toronto is clearly betting that there’s still something to unlock. Before turning pro, he put up 63 points in 62 games at the University of Michigan and 59 points in 45 games with the Chicago Steel in the USHL.
At minimum, he profiles as a possible complementary piece for the bottom six. If he lands with the Marlies, he brings proven AHL scoring in his mid-20s, which is exactly the kind of low-cost offensive depth teams are always hunting for.
The signing also gives Toronto some flexibility, though only up to a point. Brisson is the Maple Leafs’ 50th contract, which means they’re at the maximum and may need to create room if another move is coming.
Still, this is the kind of gamble that doesn’t threaten the bigger picture. Toronto gets a chance to see whether Brisson can turn his AHL production into useful NHL depth, or at the very least become another scoring option for the Marlies.
For a team that has dealt with transition issues and trouble getting out of its own end, adding a forward who can help with puck movement and offense makes sense. Brisson has the pedigree, the age, and enough offensive history to justify the look.
Now it’s on him to push through a crowded forward group and win a place in the mix.
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