As unusual as it may sound, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the runaway winners of the 2026 NHL free agency frenzy.
The Leafs snagged the biggest fish on the market, landing goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The three-year $21 million contract defied the logic that most talking heads had offered on the matter. The rationale was that Bobrovsky wanted a six-year deal in the $42 million to $45 million range.
Well, that didn’t happen. The two-time Vezina winner signed for three years at a relatively modest rate.
While there wasn’t a Zach Werenski stunner in the work on July 1, it didn’t matter. The Leafs made the sort of additions that fans could only have dreamed of.
The 20-some-odd million in cap space turned into Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, and Zack MacEwen. Aside from Roslovic, none of the signings are high-profile ones.
But that’s the point. John Chayka made the sort of signings the Maple Leafs should have made last offseason. All of a sudden, now, Toronto’s bottom six will have a new look. And that could be the difference between the weak season the Leafs had in 2025-26 and seriously competing in the playoffs next season.
The club will have an injection of skill and youth with Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna full-time. Now, it will be a matter of the veteran core helping the younger kids reach their potential at the NHL level.
Maple Leafs Should Be Tougher, More Reliable in 2026-27
If there’s one thing all of Wednesday’s signings signal, it’s that the Maple Leafs are focused on becoming a tougher, more reliable team. The goal here isn’t to build a flashy team that can carry the puck and shoot.
The goal here is to build a team that has the wherewithal to withstand 84 games and then go through the rigors of the postseason.
For example, the additions of Sissons and Blueger give the Maple Leafs the sort of center depth it hasn’t had in a long time. Also, gritty guys like Duhaime and MacEwen add punch to the lineup.
These are the guys that won’t wilt away after their captain takes a cheapshot. This team has the makeup of a nasty team no one will want to play against.
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Top Six Looks All Right for Toronto
As it stands, the top six looks all right for Toronto. The top line should be something like Matthew Knies and Roslovic with Matthews down the middle. The second line should feature McKenna with John Tavares and William Nylander.
It’s worth noting that Tavares is the perfect guy to play with McKenna. About a decade ago, Tavares played with a young Mitch Marner in his first year in Toronto. That season, Tavares scored 46 goals.
Fans could expect a similar situation with McKenna. Having a mentor like Tavares will certainly help the Maple Leafs get the most out of the first-overall pick.
So, that’s that for July 1. Things look good now. It’s unlikely the Leafs will make any more major moves at this point. Of course, Morgan Rielly remains out there. There’s also the talk of Zach Werenski.
But these are moves that may take a bit longer to happen.
Maple Leafs Runaway Winners in 2026 NHL Free Agency