After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts Sept. 29. Today, the Toronto Maple Leafs:
2025-26 season: 32-36-14, eighth in Atlantic Division, did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs
Key arrivals
Sergei Bobrovsky, G: The future Hall of Famer immediately steps in as the Maple Leafs’ No. 1 goalie after signing a three-year contract on July 1. The 37-year-old will be looking to rebound from last season, when he went 27-23-1 with a 3.07 goals-against average, .877 save percentage and four shutouts in 52 games with the Florida Panthers. In Toronto he’ll be reunited with Anthony Stolarz, who was Bobrovsky’s backup during Florida’s Stanley Cup run in 2023-24.
Darren Raddysh, D: The Toronto-area native was acquired in a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 19, signing an eight-year contract. The 30-year-old had career bests in goals (22), assists (48), points (70) and plus-minus rating (plus-21) in 73 games with Tampa Bay last season and immediately becomes Toronto’s quarterback on the power play, where he scored 10 goals in 2025-26.
Gavin McKenna, F: The native of Whitehorse, Yukon, was selected No. 1 by the Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 and will get every opportunity in training camp to earn a spot among the top-six forward group. The 18-year-old had 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 31 games with Penn State last season.
Nick Paul, F: The Mississauga, Ontario native can play either left wing or center and is expected to play in Toronto’s middle six. The 31-year-old, who had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 51 games last season, was acquired in a trade with the Lightning July 1 for goalie Dennis Hildeby, a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
Jack Roslovic, F: The 29-year-old has the flexibility to move up and down the lineup, either as a top-line wing or third-line center who provides strength up the middle, and had 36 points (21 goals, 15 assists) in 69 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season.
Emil Andrae, D: The smooth-skating 24-year-old defenseman will be relied upon for puck movement from the back end after being acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers with goalie Samuel Ersson and a third-round pick in the 2026 draft for goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit on June 16. Andrae had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 61 games with the Flyers last season
Teddy Blueger, C: The 31-year-old was brought in to help add depth and is a former linemate of Maple Leafs fourth-liner Dakota Joshua when they were with the Vancouver Canucks. He signed a two-year contract with the Maple Leafs on July 1 after he had 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 35 games with the Canucks last season.
Colton Sissons, C: Like Paul, Roslovic and Blueger, the addition of the former Vegas Golden Knight fortifies the Maple Leafs up the middle. The 32-year-old had 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 66 games with the Golden Knights last season.
Brandon Duhaime, RW: The 29-year-old, who signed a three-year contract with Toronto on July 1, has at least 140 hits in each of his five NHL seasons and brings sandpaper to the bottom six. He had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 82 games with the Washington Capitals last season.
John Chayka, general manager: The 37-year-old became the 19th GM in franchise history on May 3, replacing Brad Treliving, who was fired on March 30. Chayka previously had that same role with the Arizona Coyotes from 2016-20.
Jim Hiller, coach: The 57-year-old became the 41st coach of the Maple Leafs on June 17, replacing Craig Berube, who was fired May 13. He was an assistant with Toronto for four seasons (2015-19) and most recently coach of the Los Angeles Kings from 2023-26.
The NHL Tonight crew discuss Gavin McKenna being taken first in the NHL Draft
Key departures
Joseph Woll, G: The 28-year-old gets a change of scenery after being sent to the Flyers on June 16, opening the spot for the Maple Leafs to fill with two-time Stanley Cup winner Bobrovsky in free agency. Woll was 15-16-7 with a 3.34 GAA, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 39 games last season.
Brandon Carlo, D: The 29-year-old was traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 27 for a pair of third-round picks in the 2026 draft. The stay-at-home defenseman had seven assists in 55 games.
Simon Benoit, D: The 27-year-old, who was part of the Woll trade, had six assists in 73 games.
Nicholas Robertson, F: The 24-year-old, who signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 14, had 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 78 games.
Matias Maccelli, F: The 25-year-old signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders on July 1 after the Maple Leafs did not tender the pending restricted free agent a qualifying offer. He had 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists) in 71 games.
Dennis Hildeby, G: The 24-year-old, part of the deal that brought Paul to Toronto, was 5-7-4 with a 2.86 GAA, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 20 games. Calle Jarnkrok, C: The 34-year-old, an unrestricted free agent, had eight points (six goals, two assists) in 56 games. Craig Berube, coach: The 60-year-old was fired by the Maple Leafs on May 13 after compiling an 84-62-18 regular-season record in two seasons with Toronto.
On the cusp
Artur Akhtyamov, G: The 24-year-old is expected to start the season with Toronto of the American Hockey League but will be knocking on the door if Bobrovsky and/or Stolarz gets injured. He’s less than two months removed from helping the Maple Leafs' affiliate win the Calder Cup and receiving the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP, going 15-7 with a 2.22 GAA, .923 save percentage and two shutouts in the postseason.
Ben Danford, D: The 20-year-old, aiming to make the Maple Leafs' opening-night roster, was called up for the AHL playoffs after playing for Oshawa and Brantford of the Ontario Hockey League and had three points (one goal, two assists) in 16 AHL postseason games.
OLD FACES, NEW PLACES
Catch up on NHL.com's Team Reset series, from Anaheim to Vancouver
What they still need
Chayka was insistent during his introductory press conference that rebuilding the team’s defense was the top priority. Bringing in Raddysh and Andrae are significant steps, but there’s still more to be done. The fact the Maple Leafs showed interest on the trade front in Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, is another indication management isn’t afraid to make a big splash in what is a work in progress.
Questions remain regarding the future of veteran Morgan Rielly, whose name has been mentioned in trade rumors all summer. Up front, Toronto would like to add a top-six talent, depending on how McKenna comes out of the gate.
They said it
“Certainly a player of Sergei Bobrovsky’s caliber, I think, sends a message that we're serious about moving this team ahead and getting back on track, and trying to take it to another level. I think if you look at the full picture, we're a much more dynamic team today.” -- Chayka on the addition of Bobrovsky
EDGE stat to watch
Raddysh’s elite shooting metrics paved the way to a breakout season (70 points in 73 games) with Tampa Bay. He led the NHL in 90-plus mph shot attempts (97), nearly double the next-closest player (Evan Bouchard had 51), long-range shots on goal (130) and long-range goals (nine). Raddysh also had the second-hardest shot resulting in a goal during the regular season (100.13 mph on Nov.
28) and hardest shot resulting in a goal across the League during the playoffs (92.81 mph on April 19). The cornerstone defenseman ranked in the 95th percentile at the position in offensive zone time percentage (45.5), which could greatly help Toronto, considering it struggled in that category last season (38.9; worst in NHL). -- Troy Perlowitz
Maple Leafs acquire Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade deal
Fantasy spin
McKenna has a chance to exceed 60 points as a rookie playing in an offense that features other top-100 caliber fantasy players like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Raddysh. McKenna is a fringe top 75 overall player in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings after being drafted by the Maple Leafs, and along with Flyers forward Porter Martone, is one of the Calder Trophy front-runners.
McKenna’s playmaking ability could transform the offensive outlook for Toronto, which finished last in the NHL in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (45.5). -- Pete Jensen
Projected lineup
Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Jack Roslovic
Gavin McKenna -- John Tavares -- William Nylander
Nick Paul -- Colton Sissons -- Easton Cowan
Dakota Joshua -- Teddy Blueger -- Brandon Duhaime
Jake McCabe -- Darren Raddysh
Morgan Rielly -- Chris Tanev
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Emil Andrae
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz