The Maple Leafs and Canucks swapped a trio of young forwards Thursday, with Toronto landing Aatu Räty and sending Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr to Vancouver.
Räty, 23, cleared waivers earlier in the day, which makes him eligible to move between the NHL and AHL without restriction until he either plays 10 NHL games or spends 30 days on an NHL roster. The 6-foot-2 center has appeared in four games for Vancouver this season and scored one goal.
Toronto is getting a player the Islanders originally took in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, selecting Räty 52nd overall. The Oulu, Finland native spent most of the 2025-26 season with the Canucks, putting up four goals and 14 points in 66 games while winning 60.5 percent of his faceoffs.
Quillan is the key piece headed to Vancouver. The 24-year-old center split the 2025-26 regular season between Toronto and the AHL’s Marlies, then helped the Marlies win the 2026 Calder Cup with nine points in 19 playoff games. Listed at 6-foot-1, Quillan gives the Canucks another undrafted forward with some pro experience in the pipeline.
Buhr, also 24, joined the Maple Leafs organization in March after signing as an NCAA free agent out of Union College. He finished his senior year with 19 goals and 36 points in 35 games, then added two assists in five games with the Marlies to close the 2025-26 regular season.
All three players are on expiring contracts and can become restricted free agents after the 2026-27 season.
In Other News...
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To make room, Vancouver moved center Aatu Raty off the roster, a sign the team is ready to see what Chytil can add once he is healthy. For the Canucks, the timing matters because they are trying to get their center depth sorted while the schedule keeps rolling, and for Rangers fans still tracking Chytils path, this is the next checkpoint in a season that is only just starting for him. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Just Sent A Troubling Message About Aatu Rty
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For Rty, it is a notable step back after spending the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL, and it underscores how crowded the middle of Vancouvers lineup has become. He has been productive in the minors before, piling up 119 points in 169 career AHL games, but this move suggests the Canucks need him to reset and stay ready for another opening when it comes. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Face A Risky New Test With Chytil Back In The Mix
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Aatu Rty being placed on waivers shows how quickly the roster picture can change when a key center is ready to come back, and the Canucks are making other tweaks as they prepare for Florida. The Panthers arrive without Aleksander Barkov and Jacob Markstrom because of injuries, with Akira Schmid expected to start in goal, which adds another layer to a matchup already shaped by Vancouvers latest personnel test. [Read more 🡒]