![\"Colton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-04-03T041131Z_1042052069_MT1USATODAY28647550_RTRMADP_3_NHL-CALGARY-FLAMES-AT-VEGAS-GOLDEN-KNIGH.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nOne year ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs made three minor transactions on the first day of free agency.<\/p>\n
On July 1, 2025, the Leafs signed Michael Pezzetta and Bo Groulx and acquired Nicolas Roy in the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade. That was it for then-GM Brad Treliving\u2019s front office.<\/p>\n
John Chayka, needless to say, has gone about things a bit differently. His first Canada Day as Leafs GM was all fireworks \u2014 one after another in a light show that radically remade the roster.<\/p>\n
Who are the top five NHL players to hit free agency?<\/p>\n
All that on top of other seismic to moderately seismic activity, including the acquisitions of Darren Raddysh and Gavin McKenna, trades of Joseph Woll, Brandon Carlo, Simon Benoit and Nick Robertson, and the cutting of ties with Matias Maccelli.<\/p>\n
Never mind the hiring of Jim Hiller as head coach.<\/p>\n
Leafs’ roster changes<\/p>\n
InOut<\/p>\n
Emil Andrae<\/p>\n
Simon Benoit<\/p>\n
Teddy Blueger<\/p>\n
Brandon Carlo<\/p>\n
Sergei Bobrovsky<\/p>\n
Dennis Hildeby<\/p>\n
Brandon Duhaime<\/p>\n
Calle J\u00e4rnkrok<\/p>\n
Zack MacEwen<\/p>\n
Matias Maccelli<\/p>\n
Gavin McKenna<\/p>\n
Nick Robertson<\/p>\n
Nick Paul<\/p>\n
Joseph Woll<\/p>\n
Darren Raddysh<\/p>\n
Jack Roslovic<\/p>\n
Colton Sissons<\/p>\n
These aren\u2019t the same Leafs. But are they better?<\/p>\n
Forward<\/p>\n
The change here is significant.<\/p>\n
Chayka added five new players to the mix \u2014 four free agents and one trade acquisition \u2014 in Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime. (Plus one likely depth fill-in in Zack MacEwen.)<\/p>\n
And then of course, there\u2019s McKenna, the first pick at the draft.<\/p>\n
The Leafs needed more speed, tenacity and defensive know-how, as well as an infusion of skill, and they\u2019ve got it in this group to some degree.<\/p>\n
Maybe the most interesting name in the bunch (not including McKenna) is Paul, a longtime big (6-foot-4, 234 pounds) and useful role player for the Lightning, including on the team that lost in the Stanley Cup final in 2022. He struggled this past season, though, bouncing around Tampa\u2019s lineup while registering only seven goals and 15 points in 51 games following surgery in September for an undisclosed injury that kept him out until late November.<\/p>\n
Paul played less for Jon Cooper \u2014 dropping from 16-17 minutes a night to 13 and change last season. His opportunity fell even further in the playoffs. Logging only 11 minutes a game, he failed to record a point. All this after consecutive seasons of more than 20 goals and 40 points.<\/p>\n
The Leafs are obviously betting on a bounce-back from the 31-year-old. If they get it, Paul will deliver real value (plus some edge and experience) on a contract that comes with a cap hit of only $3.15 million for this season and two more after it.<\/p>\n
Paul played a lot of left wing for the Lightning. But interestingly, according to Chayka, the Leafs view him as at least one answer, among the many they looked at, to their in-need-of-repairs centre depth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those positions where you never want to be caught in a position where you don\u2019t have enough,\u201d Chayka said. \u201cNick was a guy that, candidly, we weren\u2019t sure was available.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like Auston Matthews and John Tavares, Paul is excellent in the faceoff circle. And while it\u2019s always a little worrisome trading with a sharp team like the Lightning, exchanging a No. 3 goalie for a middle-six forward of some kind, on a solid contract, feels like a good exchange for the Leafs.<\/p>\n
It was evident from the flurry moves that Chayka and his team were hungry to add as many centres as possible \u2014 or viable options at centre, anyhow. Blueger should fill one such hole in addition, potentially, to Paul, who also figures to see some time in the top six.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old Blueger isn\u2019t big, but he plays with pace and tenacity and he\u2019s the kind of centre Hiller can bury in the defensive zone and reasonably hope to come out alive. Hiller could even pair him with Dakota Joshua, who played his best hockey in the NHL next to Blueger in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Colton Sissons brings a worker-bee quality to the Leafs\u2019 bottom six. (Stephen R. Sylvanie \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Sissons is another option for Hiller in the middle, and another worker bee for the bottom six. He\u2019s just the kind of right-handed ace in the faceoff circle (almost 57 percent last season) the Leafs have lacked since Jason Spezza retired.<\/p>\n
That\u2019ll be helpful on the penalty kill where he and Blueger, as well as Duhaime, figure to play prominent roles.<\/p>\n
As with just about every bottom-sixer signed on July 1, Sissons got a good chunk of change on his two-year deal. His $4.25 million cap hit is fifth-highest among Leafs forwards next season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve taken some hard minutes, some hard matchup minutes, and done pretty well in those,\u201d Chayka said of Blueger and Sissons. \u201cAs much as it\u2019s about them, and it is, it\u2019s also about the top of our lineup where we can get them deployed in a way that allows them to be at their best as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
In other words, having the two of them, and Paul too, means the Leafs no longer have to count on Matthews and Tavares for quite so many defensive-zone faceoffs against top competition. That should, in theory, open up more feast-worthy offensive situations for both. With that said, is a 3-4 of Paul and Blueger, or Blueger and Sissons, that much of an improvement on Scott Laughton and Roy, who were dealt at the deadline?<\/p>\n
The Leafs were unable, as of yet anyway, to procure an upgrade on Tavares in the second-line centre spot, with one potential trade option in Vincent Trocheck being dealt to\u00a0 the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
What that means, potentially, is another season of demanding work in the middle for Tavares at age 36. Unless, of course, the Leafs want to try others in that spot and push Tavares over to the wing.<\/p>\n
Chayka did note that Roslovic, whom he described as a \u201cSwiss Army knife,\u201d has \u201cactually performed quite well there\u201d at centre, \u201cespecially as his game has matured over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Second-line centre, though, feels like a stretch.<\/p>\n
Roslovic was a linemate of Matthews \u2014 along with Matthew Tkachuk \u2014 with the U.S. National Development Team Program way back when. He could be an option for Matthews\u2019 right wing once again with the Leafs. Would he be a real upgrade on what the Leafs had there last season, from Maccelli to Max Domi to Bobby McMann? Not exactly. Maccelli, with 31 points, even outscored Roslovic (28) at five-on-five in about 100 fewer minutes.<\/p>\n
A theoretical line of McKenna, Matthews and Roslovic is probably untenable defensively, even with Matthews\u2019 defensive superpowers. Domi-like defensive limitations could make a lasting gig next to Matthews, who will draw opposing top lines regardless of deployment, less than likely for the 29-year-old. Teaming him up with Tavares could pose similar problems.<\/p>\n
That said, Roslovic has scored 20-plus goals in each of the last two seasons. He should make up for all the goals that disappeared when McMann was shipped to Seattle at the deadline.<\/p>\n
Roslovic\u2019s lacklustre playoff resume (three goals in 51 games) is somewhat concerning. And he scored only a little less money (two years, $8 million) than what a superior player, Viktor Arvidsson, drew from Detroit (two years, $10 million).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026-03-28T221839Z_114111951_MT1USATODAY28609533_RTRMADP_3_NHL-ANAHEIM-DUCKS-AT-EDMONTON-OILERS-scal.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Jack Roslovic brings some scoring punch to the Leafs. (Perry Nelson \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
It\u2019s notable that the Leafs sought another right shot for their offence, an element that disappeared on Matthews\u2019 flank when Marner went to Vegas last summer. Matthews played almost exclusively with fellow lefties last season save for the odd run with Nylander.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really felt like the over-index to lefties was a problem,\u201d Chayka said.<\/p>\n
With the exception of Roslovic, the Leafs spent most of their forward money on speedy, tenacious defensive play, including a three-year deal ($2.6 million cap hit) for the uber-physical Duhaime. The worst defensive team in the league last season needed better defenders in its forward ranks.<\/p>\n
The group as a whole feels more versatile, too, but still heavily dependent on Matthews and Nylander to create offence. One more significant forward add would have helped that. The Leafs will need continued growth from Matthew Knies, assuming he\u2019s sticking around now, and Easton Cowan. And then there\u2019s obviously McKenna, who might just be a game-breaker right away at 18 \u2014 or, at the very least, the occasional game-breaker.<\/p>\n
Defence<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2244971217-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n