It’s been the summer of additions for the Toronto Maple Leafs and GM John Chayka this off-season. Since Chayka was hired as the Leafs’ GM in early May, he’s made an abundance of moves to improve his hockey club.
But even after plenty of new names joining the roster, it sounds like the organization isn’t done improving.
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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, on the final episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast this season, reported that the Maple Leafs could have their eyes on another noteworthy transaction.
“I think Toronto is still hopeful to add another difference-maker,” Friedman said. He admitted that any move Toronto may be considering could be made later, as the organization has until September for training camp to make an off-season move.
Nonetheless, Friedman believes that there could be a substantial move coming at some point for the Maple Leafs.
“I don’t think they’re done swinging,” he said. “I think if there’s something out there that they could do that they see as impactful, they will do it.”
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Any impactful move that Toronto makes would likely need to include a roster player or two heading out the other way. That’s because the Maple Leafs are currently over the salary cap, according to puckpedia.com.
In fact, the Leafs have the second-largest cap hit in the NHL, behind the Vegas Golden Knights, at $106.75 million. That puts them $2.75 million over the salary cap limit.
Indeed, to deal with that overage, Toronto can send down a couple of players to bury their salary cap hit. But the reality is, the Leafs are in a tough spot to simply add anyone notable without money going out the other way in some sort of roster transaction.
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On top of this potential move to bring in a difference-maker, per Friedman, the Maple Leafs’ roster has changed plenty.
On the back end, Darren Raddysh was the big fish that was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade. Also, Emil Andrae was brought in as part of the trade that sent Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers.
In the crease, Woll and Dennis Hildeby went out, but two-time Stanley Cup champion and Vezina Trophy winner, Sergei Bobrovsky, was added to the fold.
And the team’s forward group, the piece of the roster that saw the most change, received four additions through a trade and free agency.
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The one trade was on July 1 with the Lightning again, this time to acquire Nick Paul, with Hildeby among other assets being shipped out. On the same day, Chayka signed Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons and Brandon Duhaime.
Not to mention drafting Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick in 2026, who is expected to crack the NHL roster for next season.
Among these names, what else could Chayka have up his sleeve?
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