Insider Hints Maple Leafs Might Be Positioning for Something Very Big

With all the focus on whether or not the Toronto Maple Leafs will make a move this season to bring in a top-six forward, they might not have enough assets or pieces that entice a team to part with one of their better players.

They have been linked to some pretty big names over the summer, and it's highly unlikely those talks die down this year, and will be a central talking point all season.

However there's also a lot of focus and attention towards what Connor McDavid is going to do this year, as he is a free agent next summer and he could command an incredibly lucrative deal, with every team fighting for their chance at the superstar.

The Maple Leafs have been at the forefront of the speculation and with McDavid's ties to the team clearly established, there's a lot to be excited about regarding a potential union.

And if Pierre LeBrun is to be believed, the team is gearing up to make a big offer.

The NHL Insider was speaking on TSN's coverage of the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp and mentioned that the team is well aware of what lies ahead in 2026 and is working towards setting themselves up for an offer:

For as much as it would be great to bring in someone to help out now, the team is loaded with depth and have more than enough pieces to help put a band-aid on a Marner wound until McDavid can heal things.

This also echoes LeBrun's earlier comments that the Leafs were keeping a close on an a McDavid decision this year.

Well besides the personal connection between McDavid and the team, we've heard in recent interviews that McDavid is not only leaving everything open, but that it sounds like he's tired of not being able to get it done in Edmonton.

Plus, with $24-million+ next season in cap space not including a David Kampf or Max Domi trade, and suddenly that skyrockets into nearly $30-million available cap.

All of a sudden, McDavid's $18-20M deal doesn't look to expensive all things considered (he's the world's best player) and it still leaves Toronto enough room to re-sign Anthony Stolarz if they want or end up going after a premium defender to really load up.

There also has to be some motivation for McDavid to be the savior and hero of an entire city, and the knowledge that he has a bevy of stars locked up long-term gives him enough of a competitive window to make a huge difference.

What else can you say about adding McDavid? 1,082 points in 712 games (361 goals, 721 assists), 5x Ross, 3x Hart, 4x Pearson, 1x Richard, 1x Conn Smythe, and a 7x All-Star and he's only 28; he could end up breaking some once seemingly unbreakable records as he is just in the thick of his prime.

So while the team has to contend with 31 other teams including the Oilers, there's a lot of good signs pointing to Connor McDavid wearing blue and white in due time.