The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t take much of a gamble when they brought in Brendan Brisson on a one-year deal for the 2026-27 season. They needed help up front, and a former first-round pick with age on his side fit the bill.
So far, that move is looking a lot better by the week.
Brisson, 24, is tearing up the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. Through four games this season, he has piled up five goals and seven points, a blistering start that already includes a hat trick in a win over the Hamilton Hammers on Oct.
- He was just as dangerous against the Hammers on Oct. 3, when he scored twice and added an assist.
That kind of production gets attention fast, especially from an organization that can always use another forward with juice. Brisson has given the Marlies instant offense, and the next question is how long Toronto waits before testing him at the NHL level.
If he keeps this pace, a call-up starts to feel realistic. The Maple Leafs could be tempted to reward him, and that possibility only grows if injuries start to thin out the roster as the season goes along.
Brisson still hasn’t put much of a footprint down in the NHL. Across 27 career games over three seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights and Rangers, he has two goals, nine points and 23 hits. His best stretch came in 2023-24 with Vegas, when he finished with two goals and eight points in 15 games.
So the NHL breakthrough hasn’t arrived yet. But if Brisson keeps lighting it up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs may have found a sneaky useful piece - and a player whose stock is climbing again by the day.
In Other News...
Leafs Chemistry Problem Is Putting Early Pressure On Jim Hiller
Early in the season, Jim Hiller is already trying to solve one of the oldest problems in hockey: how to turn a talented Maple Leafs roster into a group that actually feels connected. The moving parts have been easy to spot, with Matthew McKenna getting looks alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander, while Easton Cowan has also been part of the forward mix as Hiller keeps searching for the right blend.
The changes have come with an obvious tradeoff, because the Leafs are still in the stage where nearly every combination seems to be under review. Past coaches have long stressed how much consistent linemates matter, and this stretch is a reminder of why, especially for a team trying to build chemistry while the lineup keeps shifting around it. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Face A Tough Blue Line Call As Trade Buzz Builds
Simon Edvinssons return to North America to train has added another layer to the league-wide defense chatter, with the Detroit Red Wings still trying to get him signed before December 1. Around that, the market keeps humming: Montreal is pursuing Dylan Larkin as a second-line center, and the fan buzz there has only amplified the sense that conversations are moving even if nothing is finished yet.
For the Maple Leafs, the focus has quietly widened beyond the obvious names, with Calgary blueliner Zach Whitecloud drawing exploratory interest. It is still just that at this stage, a look rather than a move, and no formal trade has been made, but it fits the kind of search Toronto has been in as the Blue Line market starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Groulx Suddenly Looks Like A Leaf Fighting For His Spot
Bo Groulxs place in the Maple Leafs lineup is suddenly looking a lot less secure. Toronto head coach Jim Hiller chose to take Groulx out against the Utah Mammoth, a move that came with an unusual wrinkle: seven defensemen and 11 forwards dressed for the game, leaving the young forward on the outside looking in after a quiet start to the season.
Groulx has yet to record a point in five games this year, and his NHL resume still sits at 10 points in 83 games. For a team that is always weighing depth, fit and long-term flexibility, a decision like this can hint at bigger conversations ahead, including the possibility that Toronto is already exploring other options for how to shape the roster. [Read more 🡒]