What’s Next For Leafs After Busy July 1

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The Toronto Maple Leafs were the busiest club on Day 1 of free agency, signing forwards Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime, Teddy Blueger, Zach MacEwen, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to multi-year deals, trading winger Nick Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a draft pick, and packaging goalie Dennis Hildeby and a pair of mid-round picks to Tampa Bay for center Nick Paul. 

The question now in front of GM John Chayka is whether all of his summer business is done or if the club make any more moves before settling into the offseason. The additions to the roster other than Bobrovsky were aimed mostly at addressing the bottom half of the forward group, but also giving new head coach Jim Hiller some positional and situational flexibility.

“As we thought about the bigger picture and what we want to create, it all kind of fell into place for us. It is not just about putting a roster on paper. It is about putting it into action on the ice,” Chayka said on Wednesday. “We felt like we got a lot of different elements to the game that we can then give our coaches now — the flexibility to create a lineup that we feel is now deeper, faster, bigger, heavier, and guys have some roles. We certainly feel like we are a better hockey team today as a result.”

Sissons, who played in the Stanley Cup Final with Vegas, likely slots in as a fourth-line center and penalty killer after going 56.5% on draws and playing on the Golden Knights PK. Blueger can play both center and wing and was part of the Canucks penalty kill, scoring three short-handed goals. He also was linemates with current Leaf Dakota Joshua in Vancouver. 

Roslovic scored 20 or more goals each of the last two seasons, and could slot in on the right side with former UNTDP teammate Auston Matthews, or could play a secondary scoring role lower in the lineup. Based on his skill set, the 29-year-old could be the natural replacement for Max Domi, whose hockey future is in limbo after offseason back surgery. Duhaime played mostly a fourth-line energy role with Washington last season, finishing second behind Tom Wilson in hits, and along with MacEwen, will provide some pushback necessary in the Atlantic Division with Florida and Tampa Bay continuing to load up on physicality. 

Paul also has positional flexibility, but would provide a matchup problem up the middle as a 6’4”, 234 lb. pivot. One thing that all these additions do is allow scoring forwards like Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, John Tavares, and first overall pick Gavin McKenna to be implemented in the offensive zone five-on-five and on the man advantage, instead of being used in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill.

The depth up front also will take some of the onus off of McKenna and sophomore Easton Cowan having to carry larger responsibilities as they are learning to navigate the NHL.