Maple Leafs poised to add standout forward off waivers from Vancouver

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to add even more defense up the middle by claiming Aatu Raty off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks.

On Wednesday, the NHL waiver wire added two names to the mix as teams continue to tinker with their rosters early on in the 2026-27 season.

Aatu Raty and Alex Barre-Boulet were both waived as Dallas forward Harrison Scott cleared and now will be assigned to the AHL. Teams will have 24 hours to claim either man, or they too will be assigned to their respective AHL teams.

Toronto should capitalize on Vancouver's latest waiver placement

But Raty is a player who could certainly benefit a team's bottom six as he has elite face-off metrics, is very physical, and is a solid penalty killer. He's also only 23 years old, and he could be a great asset - especially for the Maple Leafs.

While the Maple Leafs do need some scoring in their bottom-six, they could certainly look to also improve their defensive side up front. Raty would provide Jim Hiller another penalty killer who can win important face-offs, and be an intimidating presence for opponents.

Don't expect much scoring from him as he has only 29 points in 118 NHL games, but he is someone who can help get the puck out of the zone, win puck battles, and give more of a presence on the ice than Bo Groulx, who has been basically nonexistent and was just a healthy scratch on Tuesday.

Raty would give Jim Hiller one more key asset

Raty also has the distinction of being part of trades that brought Brock Faber to Minnesota, Axel-Sandin Pellikka to Detroit, and Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders. Clearly he's been someone who has been central in some big trades - so teams must have seen something.

But if he were to find a home in Toronto, he would instantly fit on the fourth line over Groulx. He is good enough to play the pivot role, and former teammate Teddy Blueger can play the wing, and also take face-offs when needed.

If the focus on Toronto's bottom-six is now solely defensive, then they may as well load up on the more underrated guys and give them a chance to flourish. They don't need to be flashy, so long as they are effective.

So it would be a smart decision to claim Raty off waivers, though that may be overshadowed by other issues currently plaguing the Maple Leafs.

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