The Maple Leafs are currently stocked on active contracts and have only three spots left in general so John Chayka has to be careful, or find a way to create room.
Thanks to the Maple Leafs' shopping spree this summer, they really don't have a lot of cap space left to make moves, though you can't really fault them for going all-in. Auston Matthews has only limited time here in Toronto, so John Chayka decided to push his chips to the middle and bet on a transformed lineup bringing success.
But it's not just the salary cap they need to worry about however, and if Chayka and company aren't careful, then they could miss out on a key piece.
Toronto's running out of room to add players with pieces still needing to be fit
Right now, the Maple Leafs have the maximum amount of current contracts on the NHL side which means they can't make a move without dishing off a contract in response but they also only have three open slots left to sign anyone.
Plus, these count as waiver claims, PTO's, and any other depth signings the Maple Leafs make will count against their 50-contract threshold and are actually saved from having only one available slot thanks to Ben Danford and Tinus Luc Koblar's slide eligible deals (they don't count due to being assigned to junior/Europe).
That means if the team is trying to target a top-six forward then they need to be sure that who they settle on is the right fit. We could see Patrick Kane in blue and white meanwhile there are other names like Vladimir Tarasenko and Anthony Mantha who could be solid options as well, but then it starts to thin out.
Their best hope is that someone like Easton Cowan takes the reins and manages to become that top-six star, and looking at the roster now you can see the team is pretty much built for the season minus a top-six veteran like a Kane or Tarasenko but with little wiggle room to work with.
Several Toronto Marlies could be trade chips heading into 2026-27
There are a few names who could be on the outs though especially with all the smaller signings the Maple Leafs made. A player like Marshall Rifai has been a great AHL player but hasn't really ever been looked at for an NHL job here; same with William Villeneuve (even if he just extended for two more years).
Toronto added five new players (three forwards, two defenceman) on Friday and also added Cole McWard in free agency. You could also see names like Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, and Michael Pezzetta traded to clear up room even if they get future considerations or a low draft pick.
Add to it a list of players who are going to be Marlies mainstays like Jacob Quillan, Ryan Tverberg, Noah Chadwick and Bo Groulx, and you can see how they may be dealt. Even getting a contract from the AHL off the books is smart because you open up a spot for a waiver claim if needed.
The team would rather clear up room now instead of scrambling at the end of camp and trying to determine who needs to go, and you also need to find room for waiver claims and PTO's - something Toronto's had success with previously - so the sooner, the better.
If the Maple Leafs truly aren't done yet this offseason, they'll need to make a move to sell first before they can buy, and their next move has to be one that opens up both cap and roster space.
Should the Maple Leafs still try and add a top-six forward or are you happy with the lineup?
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