The Toronto Maple Leafs have been active this offseason, but there is still one hole the team needs to address.
Toronto has focused on adding depth to its bottom-six while signing star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Maple Leafs still could use an upgrade at center, as at this point in his career, John Tavares is more of a third-line center or a second-line winger.
Yet, with how the Maple Leafs roster is built, Toronto will have Tavares as the second-line center, which analyst Jonas Siegel of The Athletic believes isn’t great.
“The Leafs GM made centre ice a priority this offseason, though I’m not sure that a 1-4 of Matthews, Tavares, Paul, Sissons/Blueger and/or Roslovic is any better than last year’s pre-crash look of Matthews, Tavares, Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton, and/or Domi,” Siegel wrote. “It’s a speedier bunch, and a little deeper in dependable options. …
“Until proven otherwise, Tavares remains at second-line centre, which isn’t ideal as he enters his 18th NHL season. (If there’s a trade deadline need we’re talking about next spring, this is probably it.) But with more trustworthy options behind him, maybe the Leafs can finally lighten his defensive load in a meaningful way and even scale back his minutes slightly.”
So, despite the center ice additions of Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, and Teddy Blueger, Tavares is still penciled in as the second-line center.
Tavares is entering the second year of his four-year, $17.56 million deal. He recorded 31 goals and 40 assists for 71 points in 82 games last season.
Maple Leafs Wanted More Center Depth
Toronto went out and bolstered its center depth, which is something general manager John Chayka wanted to do.
Chayka felt like being strong down the middle of the ice was key, and he did that with the additions.
“I’d say we scoured the center market. It is one of those positions where you never want to be caught in a position where you don’t have enough. Certainly, as we came in here, we felt like we needed to be better. We pursued everything,” Chayka said.
The Maple Leafs GM, meanwhile, said he needed to make significant changes to the roster, which is what he did.
“We needed to make some significant changes to the roster construction, I’d say. As I said, we had some roles we needed to fill, and we needed to create some depth. Certainly, through the spine of our team now, we feel a lot better about our center position through the defense.”
Toronto is hoping to reach the playoffs next season and be a Cup contender again.
Toronto’s Offseason Additions
Chayka did a lot to overhaul the Maple Leafs’ roster and their notable offseason moves this offseason is as follows:
- Win the draft lottery, select Gavin McKenna first overall.
- Trade Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit to Flyers for Samuel Ersson, Emil Andrae, 2026 3rd-round pick.
- Sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh, eight-year, $68M deal.
- Trade Ersson to the Senators for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
- Trade Brandon Carlo to the Blues for 73rd and 76th overall picks in 2026 NHL Draft.
- Deals Nick Robertson to the Penguins for a 2028 fourth-round pick.
- Sign Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21M deal.
- Signs Jack Roslovic to a two-year, $8M deal.
- Inks Colton Sissons to a two-year, $8.5M deal.
- Sign Teddy Blueger to a two-year, $5M deal.
- Signs Brandon Duhaime to a three-year, $7.8M deal.
- Sign Zack MacEwen to a two-year, $1.75M deal.
- Acquire Nick Paul from Lightning for Dennis Hildeby, 2028 3rd, and 2027 4th.
- Sign Gavin McKenna to ELC.
- Signs Emil Andrae to a two-year, $3.1 million deal.
Maple Leafs Handed Concerning Take on John Tavares Ahead of Season