Toronto Marlies forward puts the Maple Leafs in an awkward position after unexpected start

Brendan Brisson's hot start to the Toronto Marlies season has put the Maple Leafs in an awkward spot, as he could fight for a spot and push a veteran out.

The Toronto Marlies have gotten out to a solid start this season as they look to repeat as Calder Cup Champions, and if the early results are any indication, they at least have a decent shot at competing once again.

Regulars like Logan Shaw, Vinni Lettieri, and Artur Akhtyamov are all helping steady the ship, while newcomers like Henrik Rybinski are putting up great numbers early on. But one name stands above the rest and he's starting to make waves in the AHL: Brendan Brisson.

Brendan Brisson is tearing up the AHL early into 2026-27

Brisson is currently tied for second in the AHL in points with seven, and just came off a hat trick against the Hamilton Hammers, pushing his total to five goals in four games and sits second in the AHL for goals behind Jani Nyman's six.

But it's how he was doing it that was so impressive. On his first goal he ripped a slap shot that went bar down, then on his second, skated into the slot and whacked a puck past the goaltender.

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His final goal game with a shot in the slot, and his celebration afterwards showed just how thrilled he was:

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Brisson is no stranger to the AHL, as he has six seasons prior to this current one in the league. He has 66 goals and 79 assists in 244 games from 2021-2026 and has been a reliable and consistent scorer who came to the Marlies with a lot of potential.

Brisson presents a dilemma for Toronto's bottom-six

Toronto clearly saw something in the forward, and given that he's a former first-round pick, there is a certain pedigree to bringing in someone like that. He's only appeared in 27 games for the Vegas Golden Knights, but does have nine points so with a bit more time and reps he could be a solid bottom-six forward.

But herein lies the issue - Toronto's already got a lot of bodies. The fourth line, though has been a problem, and not for the reason you'd think. While they have been great at preventing goals, they are quite bad at developing scoring chances, and they need a big boost.

Bo Groulx hasn't worked out like the team thought he would, and adding a player like Brisson would give them someone better at winning puck battles, is a bit more physical, and provide an offensive boost for Teddy Blueger.

Plus the team already has Miles Wood who is expected to help the fourth line, but Brisson's play has started to make it seem like he's the one who deserves a look and if the Maple Leafs want to shake things up even more, then adding a first-round pick on a hot streak might be a successful option.

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