Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka promised that his team will be “aggressive” when free agency opens on July 1.
Even after acquiring defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade deal and giving him an eight-year, $68 million contract, the Maple Leafs still have over $22 million in cap space this offseason, so money is no object for the club.
To that end, Chayka is promising the team is going to do everything it can to better itself on July 1.
John Chayka Promises ‘Aggressive’ Moves When Free Agency Opens Up
Speaking to reporters following the conclusion of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Chayka revealed his plan for the start of free agency.
“I think we are going to try to make the team better. That is an avenue for us. Today, we created more flexibility, even, with the (Brandon Carlo) move. It is a balance of these things. We are going to be disciplined and do things that help us and help the team in the short and long term. I think Darren Raddysh was an example of that. We certainly felt that the pick was worth it to secure the player and not get into some bidding war. There are some players we like. There are some needs we have. We will be aggressive, but we will also make sure we are not doing anything to hurt the future,” Chayka said (via Maple Leafs Hot Stove).
Maple Leafs Could Swing For the Fences in Free Agency
Given how much cap space the Maple Leafs have, they can literally sign any free agent they want if they can convince them to come to Toronto.
One player the team has been linked to in free agency is goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who has been linked to the club in recent weeks. The Maple Leafs could be looking to upgrade their goaltending position, and Bobrovsky is the best FA goalie available.
In terms of skaters, veteran sniper Patrick Kane is someone who immediately comes to mind. Though he is now 37 years old, he proved during his stint with the Detroit Red Wings that he is still a very solid scorer, and he would look very good in the Maple Leafs’ top six.
The Maple Leafs could also be interested in Michael Bunting, a former Maple Leafs forward who also played under Chayka when he was the GM of the Arizona Coyotes. Chayka has said that he wants to improve the team’s depth, so signing a mid-level scorer like Bunting, who played well the first time he was in Toronto, makes sense.
After trading away Carlo to the St. Louis Blues for a pair of third-round picks, Chayka could also take a look at some of the free-agent defenseman on the board, including Radko Gudas, who has been linked to the team. Again, Chayka is looking for depth at all positions, so signing a couple of depth defenders, such as Gudas, makes sense if captain Auston Matthews is OK with bringing him into the locker room after Gudas hurt Matthews earlier this year with a dirty hit.
John Chayka Promises Maple Leafs Will Be ‘Aggressive’ on July 1