The Maple Leafs kept busy after locking in two more newcomers, and then turned their attention to the Marlies by handing out one-year deals to Vinni Lettieri and Samuel Hlavaj.
Lettieri’s contract feels like a nod to production. The 31-year-old winger was one of the few Toronto Marlies not called up to the Leafs late in the season, and he responded with 26 post-season points as the farm club went on to win the Calder Cup. That kind of output earned him another year in the organization.
Toronto had already confirmed two-year signings for UFA right winger Henrik Rybinski and defenceman Cole McWard, moves first reported the day before by PuckPedia. Rybinski, who had been with the AHL Hershey Bears, was a fifth-round pick of Florida in 2019. He’ll be on a two-way deal this season before it shifts to $900,000 US on a one-way contract next season.
McWard brings a little more NHL experience to the mix. The Vancouver-born defenceman, who went undrafted, has played nine games between the Canucks and New York Islanders and was part of the Abbotsford team that won the 2025 Calder Cup. His deal comes in at $850,000 and rises to $900,000.
Hlavaj’s addition addresses a need in goal. The 25-year-old, an undrafted 6-foot-4 Slovak national, has spent the past couple of years in the minors and also represented his country at the recent Milan Olympics. He’s familiar to Leafs assistant GM Judd Brackett from Brackett’s time with the Minnesota Wild, and he now looks like the clear backup option for Artur Akhtyamov on the Marlies.
That matters because Toronto has thinned out its goaltending depth after trading Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby.
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Why This New Canucks Defenceman Already Has Fans Doing A Double Take
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Vancouvers interest in him goes beyond the simple transaction line, because the fit is tied to how the Canucks want to manage their back end in the months ahead. Oleksiak is expected to help in a mentor role, and there is already some early curiosity about where he might slot in once camp opens, including whether he ends up alongside a young right-shot partner. [Read more 🡒]