The Toronto Maple Leafs’ roster turnover this season sought to bring in more punch to the middle six. That situation meant letting some seemingly underachieving players go at the end of last season. Those players moved on and have thrived in their new surroundings.
This situation has become increasingly evident when their replacements such as Dakota Joshua have ended on IR, while the fourth-line has been a work in progress at times this season.
3 Players Maple Leafs Regret Letting Go
Pontus Holmberg
Pontus Holmberg had been a wild card for the Maple Leafs. He played on the fourth line, killed penalties, had tough shifts in the bottom six and even got a look in the top six. Holmberg played center and wing. He was a serviceable player that, alas, did not provide the depth scoring that the Leafs would have wanted.
The Leafs declined to offer him a Qualifying Offer last season, making the former sixth-round pick a free agent. The Tampa Bay Lightning came calling, signing him to a two-year, $3.1 million deal.
Fast-forward more than half a season and Holmberg has become a staple of Jon Cooper’s middle six. Holmberg continues to do all the things he did in Toronto, while chipping in eight goals and 15 points in 41 games. The numbers are consistent with his career numbers. But he’s the type of player the Maple Leafs could have used this season.
Holmberg’s consistent, gritty play earned him a nod to Team Sweden’s Olympic roster this year. That’s a significant validation of his skills and production.
Connor Dewar
Connor Dewar had a tough 2024-25 campaign. He was limited to 31 games due to a shoulder injury, limiting this overall impact on the team. The Maple Leafs opted to pass on a player they once thought could be a piece of the future. The Leafs traded Dewar and defenseman Conor Timmings to the Pittsburgh Penguins at last year’s trade deadline. The move was clearly a cap dump to free up space for incoming pieces.
Dewar stuck in Pittsburgh signing a one-year, $1.1 million contract. The deal has worked out fantastically well for the Penguins. Dewar, a fourth-liner, has scored 11 goals and 19 points in 49 games. That sort of production would have been superior to Steven Lorentz and Dakota Joshua. Most importantly, Dewar would have been a major upgrade over Calle Jarnkrok.
Alex Steeves
Alex Steeves was a standout player for the Toronto Marlies. His AHL performance earned him a couple of call-ups to the Maple Leafs. However, the Leafs never really gave Steeves a fair shake. He had the makings of becoming a solid fourth-line center. Had that been the case, Steeves could have precluded the need for the Scott Laughton trade last season.
Well, Laughton has played well this season, so has Steeves. Steves has found a home with another former Maple Leafs player, Fraser Minten, on the Boston Bruins third line. The Bruins recently rewarded Steeves with a two-year contract extension.
It’s safe to say that the Maple Leafs could have certainly used Steeve’s steady, consistent play in their bottom six.
His eight goals and 14 points in 33 games, include a big tally in a revenge game against the Leafs earlier this season, could have come in handy, when looking at how other bottom-six acquisitions have worked out this season.
Maple Leafs Players Wish They Hadn’t Let Go