Colton Sissons didn’t arrive in Toronto with much noise, but a few games in, he’s forcing the Maple Leafs to take a harder look at where he fits.
The offseason signing was supposed to give the bottom six a steadier defensive base - a forward who could help with zone exits, handle penalty-killing duties, and bring some much-needed bite. Instead, Sissons has popped as one of Toronto’s most effective early-season players, even if the box score hasn’t fully caught up.
The numbers back up the eye test. According to Natural Stat Trick, Sissons leads the Maple Leafs in ixG at 1.28.
He’s also fourth on the team in Individual Scoring Chances For with 12, first in Individual High Danger Chances For with 9, and he leads the club in hits. All of that has come without taking a penalty.
That’s a better offensive profile than Kirill Marchenko, John Tavares, and William Nylander, and it’s why Sissons has quietly become more than just a checking-line piece. He’s creating chances, forcing mistakes, and giving Toronto useful minutes in ways that don’t always jump off the page.
He’s also been a big part of why Easton Cowan and Nick Paul were able to get going early. Sissons has been the connective tissue, opening space and pulling defenders with him, which has created more room for Cowan to attack.
And there’s another layer to this start: he’s won nearly 74% of his face-offs. That makes him valuable in more than one phase of the game. He can start shifts with possession, stabilize a line, and give Toronto a reliable option no matter the situation.
That’s why there’s a real case for Jim Hiller to bump him into the top six. Sliding Sissons onto the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander would add some extra defensive support for Tavares, while also putting Sissons in the areas where he does his best work. Tavares can drive the net, and Sissons can do the dirty work around him.
If Sissons is already leading the team in individual scoring chances and helping Toronto tilt the ice when he’s on the puck, giving him more time in a higher-leverage role makes sense. It could also reshape the rest of the forward group, with Cowan dropping down alongside Gavin McKenna or moving up with Auston Matthews, while Jack Roslovic adds offense to a third line with McKenna and Nick Paul.
It’s still early, but Sissons has done enough to earn a look higher in the lineup. Based on the way he’s played so far, he’s made a strong case for it.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Face One Trade Question That Could Reshape Their Blue Line
The Maple Leafs have already added to their roster since the offseason, but the blue line still looks like the spot that could most use another swing. A high-impact left-side defenseman would fit the kind of upgrade Toronto has been circling, and Simon Edvinsson has emerged as an intriguing name because of his age, size and upside. For a team trying to harden its back end without sacrificing future value, he checks a lot of boxes on paper.
What makes the situation worth watching is the possibility that Detroit could be open to moving him under the right circumstances. Edvinsson has the profile of a player who would draw interest across the league, and Toronto would make sense as one of the clubs keeping tabs if the Red Wings decide to listen. For the Maple Leafs, the question is whether they want to push in now for help on the left side or trust the current group to carry the load a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Nylanders Honest Take On A New Leafs Arrival Will Get Attention
William Nylander has been one of the Maple Leafs early catalysts this season, piling up six points in five games, but the conversation around him in a recent interview with The Athletic drifted beyond the scoreboard. Nylander touched on the arrival of Sergei Bobrovsky, a major new presence in Torontos mix, and also opened up about the people and players who shaped him growing up, giving a more personal glimpse into the winger behind the production.
There was also some notable honesty in the way Nylander discussed his connection to former Leafs star Mats Sundin, since the relationship has long carried extra weight for Toronto fans. Nylander revisited his upbringing and the hockey influences that mattered most to him, a reminder that even for a player entrenched in the present, the past still helps frame how he sees a changing Leafs roster. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Make Unusual Avalanche Lineup Move With One Big Decision Looming
The Maple Leafs are making a slightly unusual adjustment against the Colorado Avalanche, sliding Nick Blankenburg into the lineup as John Tavares steps out for the birth of his child. Head coach Jim Hiller said the club will dress seven defensemen and 11 forwards, a wrinkle that gives Toronto some extra flexibility while also opening the door for Blankenburg to get his first action of the season after being a healthy scratch through the first five games.
Blankenburg arrived on a one-year deal after a strong training camp, so this is a useful early look at how he fits once the games start to count. There is still one notable piece left hanging ahead of puck drop, though, because Hiller declined to name the starting goaltender, leaving Torontos final call in net as the other decision worth watching before the matchup begins. [Read more 🡒]