The Toronto Maple Leafs had a busy offseason, as common supervisor John Chayka made a slew of strikes that hopefully will get the group again into the playoffs subsequent 12 months after lacking the postseason for the primary time in a decade this previous season.
The group went out and purchased a brand-new No. 1 goalie, a brand new No. 1 defenseman, a number of depth items at ahead, and, after all, they’d the No. 1 total draft decide within the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Plus, they’ve a model new coach.
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Next 12 months’s Maple Leafs group goes to look lots totally different from this previous season’s iteration of the squad. Yet, there are nonetheless loads of questions left unanswered for the storied franchise as they appear to interrupt their lengthy championship drought, because the final time Toronto gained the Stanley Cup was in 1967.
The Toronto Maple Leafs enter subsequent season with a brand-new head coach in Jim Hiller.Richard Lautens / Getty Images
Bobrovsy, McKenna Need To Deliver for Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs made a slew of strikes this offseason, and most of them look robust on paper.
But everyone knows that hockey is not performed on paper — it is performed on the ice — so it stays to be seen how the group will look subsequent season, and we cannot know till the puck drops.
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The greatest transfer the Maple Leafs made this offseason was signing goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21 million contract to turn into the group’s new No. 1 goalie.
Bobrovsky is a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Florida Panthers and a two-time Vezina Trophy winner with the Columbus Blue Jackets because the league’s finest goalie. On paper, he’s the most effective goalie the Maple Leafs have had since Hockey Hall of Famer Ed Belfour over 20 years in the past.
But Bobrovsky is 38 years previous, and he’s coming off one of many worst seasons of his NHL profession. So whereas this transfer definitely has the chance to go growth for the Maple Leafs, it may additionally very nicely go bust given his age and poor kind final season.
Related: Maple Leafs, John Chayka $52M Spending Spree Is Spot On
Another huge transfer the Maple Leafs made was after they chosen Penn State U winger Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 total decide within the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The group acquired fortunate after they gained the draft lottery, and so they used the no-brainer decide to take McKenna, who is claimed to be somebody who can instantly come into the NHL and do nicely.
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But once more, he is solely 18 years previous, so the Maple Leafs can’t depend on McKenna to be their hope and savior given that he’s model new to the league. It’s going to take a while.
Instead, the Maple Leafs must depend on famous person Auston Matthews having a bounce-back season after being banged up and displaying indicators of decline this previous season. If the Maple Leafs are going to win something this season, then Matthews will need to have a giant 12 months; in any other case, this Maple Leafs group is not going to win something.
To that finish, the Maple Leafs introduced in assist for Matthews this offseason, as Toronto signed Darren Raddysh to turn into the group’s new No. 1 defenseman after he had an enormous season for the Tampa Bay Lightning final 12 months.
The group additionally employed a brand-new head coach with former Los Angeles Kings HC Jim Hiller coming in after they fired former head coach Craig Berube. Hiller has beforehand labored with the Maple Leafs as an assistant coach, so he has some familiarity with the group’s gamers already, which is probably going why he was the one who landed the job.
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This model of the Maple Leafs seems to be good on paper. But there may be nonetheless numerous work to do, and till the season really begins and we see how these gamers all look enjoying with one another, we cannot know if this group has the potential to truly win the Stanley Cup.
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Maple Leafs Could Still Make Moves
Although we are actually deep into the offseason and many of the heavy lifting has already been achieved, the Maple Leafs may nonetheless make some strikes earlier than coaching camp begins.
One of the gamers who may nonetheless go is defenseman Morgan Rielly, who’s the group’s longest-tenured participant with 13 seasons within the blue-and-white.
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But Rielly’s time in Toronto has worn out its welcome, because the group has completed completely nothing throughout his time with the group. That’s not all Rielly’s fault, as he is simply one in every of 23 gamers on the roster each season. But it is time that each participant and group moved on.
The Maple Leafs have been procuring Rielly and the remaining 4 years and $30 million left on his contract, however so far, they haven’t discovered a taker for him. Still, with six weeks to go earlier than coaching camp, Chayka goes to maintain attempting to maneuver on from him and hopefully dump his wage and get a draft decide and/or a prospect in return for him.
Another participant that the Maple Leafs are mentioned to be contemplating transferring is winger Dakota Joshua, who had a disappointing first season in Toronto final 12 months. With two years and $7 million left on his deal, Joshua does not value a lot cash, so any group seeking to decide up a rugged winger who can chip in a purpose or two may seemingly get him for a late draft decide.
Other than that, the Maple Leafs are unlikely to maneuver anybody else heading into subsequent season, because the group is ready. Yes, there are nonetheless loads of questions left to be answered. But Chayka and Hiller must see the group really play on the ice earlier than they make any extra rash choices.
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This Maple Leafs group has the potential to make the playoffs subsequent 12 months, however they seemingly want extra in the event that they need to win the Stanley Cup.
Now, let’s have a look at what occurs within the early a part of the season and see if this group is definitely any good, or if it is seeking to be one other lengthy, failed season for a Maple Leafs’ fanbase that’s determined to see their favourite group hoist the Stanley Cup for the primary time in practically 60 years.
Related: Maple Leafs Take Big Risk With Darren Raddysh Signing
This story was initially revealed by Lindys Sports on Jul 26, 2026, the place it first appeared within the NHL part. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.