Maple Leafs appear to have settled their final blue-line spot

The Toronto Maple Leafs have seemingly made it known that Troy Stecher will receive the final spot on the blue-line after a strong camp.

The biggest battle at camp this summer wasn't for the top-six of the Maple Leafs but instead the blue-line. Darren Raddysh came in as a huge acquisition, meanwhile Emil Andrae and Nick Blankenburg have come in via trade and a PTO respectively.

However, with the flurry of moves the Maple Leafs made on Thursday, we are getting a clearer idea of how the line is going to shape up and it feels like we finally have our answer.

Toronto rounds out their defence only days before camp ends

With how things have gone in camp, and how the roster cuts have worked out, it seems like the final spot for the Maple Leafs' final pairing is indeed going to the player who stepped up last season in that role - Troy Stecher.

Stecher lined up alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the Maple Leafs' 'A' squad against Ottawa and put together a strong game and showed that level of heart that endeared him to the team so quickly last season.

He's actually had the third most time on the PK for the Maple Leafs defence, only behind the two shutdown defenders in Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev:

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That leaves Andrae and Blankenburg as two depth options for the team, though it may only be one if they don't decide to sign the defender off his PTO. There's a chance that the team forgoes signing him and they wait for another waiver claim a la Stecher.

Why Toronto chose Stecher over the other blue-liners

It's understandable as to why the Maple Leafs would go with Stecher given that he brings familiarity and a strong two-way support game. The veteran journeyman was picked up off waivers from the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, and went from averaging only 13 minutes in Edmonton to averaging over 20 in Toronto.

Against Ottawa he was a plus-two, played over 19 minutes, had three shots, one block and two hits while also not giving the puck away a single time, and against Montreal he had one shot, two blocks and three more hits in over 21 minutes of play.

While part of that could be due to the injuries the team sustained all season last year, Stecher did more than just a replacement level job and at times felt like the only person who cared after the entire season collapsed.

It also doesn't mean Andrae and Blankenburg won't be factored in, as there is still two spots to fill if the Maple Leafs want to bring 13 forwards, 8 defenders, and two goalies. Those two can swap with Stecher and OEL depending on the situation, and Blankenburg is a more offensive version of what Stecher can bring.

But familiarity at the beginning of a season full of change is going to make those transitions easier, so that means that when it comes to the Maple Leafs blue-line, the winner of their final spot is Troy Stecher - because he earned it.

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