The Toronto Maple Leafs have been incredibly busy and active today, making an abundance of moves, something new general manager John Chayka seems to be more aggressive.
Canada Day was a sweltering one on July 1 but not only due to the weather, but the heated NHL free agency period kicked off as well. The Maple Leafs were a team who were extremely active on both the signing and trade front, so let's take a look at all the action that happened on Wednesday.
The signings that actually move the needle
Jack Roslovic signs a two-year, $8-million contract with an AAV of $4-million per season
Roslovic is the right-handed shooter the Maple Leafs have needed; entering today, Toronto had no other right-handed forward in the lineup under contract other than William Nylander.
He is listed as a center and can play it. He will be utilized primarily as a winger, as the team could use more right-handed shooters in the middle-six, and he projects at best as a 3C.
Roslovic has scored 20 goals three separate times and last season had 21 goals and 15 assists in 69 games for the Edmonton Oilers.
Sergei Bobrovsky signs a three-year, $21-million contract with an AAV of $7-million per season
The future Hall of Famer and goalie of the Maple Leafs' rival, the Florida Panthers, has now joined the Maple Leafs.
The two-time Vezina winner has won two Stanley Cups over the last three seasons with the Panthers but is going to be 38 years old at the start of next season.
While having the worst season of his career with an .877 save percentage. However, Florida was fielding an AHL lineup in front of him, so the expectation of him bouncing back should be high.
Colton Sissons signs a two-year, $8.5-million contract with an AAV of $4.25-million per season.
This is an interesting one; Sissons actually got some run with the Vegas Golden Knights in their Cup run and managed to score 2 goals and six assists for eight points in 22 games.
While he is someone who is a depth signing and likely is the fourth-line center, he is also someone who is another right-handed shooter who can play on the right side and even be your right-handed fourth defenseman.
Sissons will be 33 at the start of next season, but he is a very productive fourth-line guy who adds solid two-way play and can kill penalties.
Nick Paul acquired via trade where the Maple Leafs traded Goalie Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, and a 2028 third-round draft pick
Mississauga native Nick Paul has been acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs and adds size, skill, leadership, and an absolute dawg who can fight.
While he is likely a winger, he can also play third-line center with the Leafs, and he could be someone we see in the middle six, most likely, but maybe a small chance he plays on Matthews' wing.
Injured last season, he is an absolute dawg and in previous seasons had 46 and 41 points, scoring over 20 goals in both seasons.
He is also fantastic defensively and could be someone who plays on the penalty kill for the Maple Leafs; he is a big boy at 6'4 234 pounds and can lay hits and bring toughness.
Giving up Dennis Hildeby is really tough, but if he was not going to start for the Leafs, he was going to be subjected to waivers, which he likely would have left for free, can not let that happen asset management 101.
The depth moves and re-signings that flew under the radar
Teddy Blueger signs a two-year, $5-million contract with an AAV of $2.5-million per season
A really great depth signing, someone who is a good depth player and was on an piss poor Vancouver Canucks team.
While injured last season, he had 17 points in 35 games. Which was the highest PPG of his entire career.
Probably someone who is a fourth-line center or winger for this team who adds solid defense and can add a bit of scoring.
Brandon Duhaime signs a three-year, $7.8-million contract with an AAV of $2.6-million per season
Duhaime is a solid checking winger who adds size and physicality to a fourth line.
While he is not going to blow your socks off offensively, he is a solid-checking winger who is 29 years old and has a tiny amount of upside.
Zack MacEwan signs a two-year, $1.75-million contract with an AAV of $875,000 per season
MacEwan is a grinder and is never someone who has really had an average time on ice higher than 10 minutes per game; he's an extreme depth winger, right-shooter, and can be a fourth-line center.
Someone who can do it all, while throwing a ton of hits and play physical with a 6'4 frame.
Not a huge impactful name, but can be someone who just provides a band-aid while maybe only playing 50% of games and the rest in the AHL.
What is still left for Toronto to figure out
At the current moment, the Toronto Maple Leafs have $-127,382.00 in cap space left; yes, they actually are over the cap by about $125,000.
If any moves are going to be made further, it will likely be done through trade, where the Maple Leafs will have to trade someone off their roster and create enough cap space to get themselves out of this problem.
The most likely options are going to be Morgan Rielly or Matthew Knies if they manage to swing a big trade, think Zach Werenski, or they get an absolute haul back for Knies and then use the cap space, etc.
The ability to acquire Werenski from Columbus seems to be diminishing as free agency is underway.
D-man Morgan Rielly is likely going to be traded off this roster, but the Maple Leafs are likely going to have to give themselves some wiggle room to make room for more moves, if any are made.
As the team is presently constructed, the Maple Leafs have addressed a ton of bottom-six options in their forward group, while adding a significant goaltender who is incredibly durable.
While I expect more moves to be made this offseason, it is going to require creative solutions and managing the salary cap.
Who will be the most impactful forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs next season?
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