2026 NHL free agency: Items the Maple Leafs must address this off-season

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2026 NHL free agency: Items the Maple Leafs must address this off-season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 off-season won’t have much in the way of quality free-agent depth, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be teams lining up to try to improve their roster by signing a UFA or two. Or if they’re really bold, teams will make a push for an RFA by signing a young player to an offer sheet.

However, in this article, we’re going to focus on the free-agent needs for the NHL team that casts the largest shadow – the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs are the highest-profile team in the league.

After a substandard 2025-26 season that saw them miss the Stanley Cup playoffs altogether, the Leafs appear determined to retool on the fly and have a bounce-back year that includes a playoff appearance.

But when it comes to what Toronto needs this summer, there are three key areas. And the first area is their center depth. The Maple Leafs ideally want to move star center John Tavares to the third-line center role, but even if that doesn’t happen and new Toronto coach Jim Hiller keeps Tavares as his second-line center, the Leafs will still need someone to center the third line. So signing an experienced pivot with the Leafs’ $22.2 million in salary cap space will be a priority.

Maybe Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner fits in with Toronto’s new blueprint for success.

MORE: With Selection Of Gavin McKenna And Trade Of Brandon Carlo, The Maple Leafs Are Turning A Page

That said, the Leafs also need some improvements on the wing. Toronto GM John Chayka got very lucky when the Buds won the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, and they’ve added the most skilled player in the 2026 NHL draft with Gavin McKenna.

But even with McKenna on board, the Maple Leafs need some help on the wing. Signing a star like former Buffalo Sabres and now current Washington Capitals winger Alex Tuch was always too rich for Toronto’s liking. Still, there will be other wingers available in free agency, including New York Islanders forward Anders Lee and Montreal Canadiens sniper Patrik Laine.

Finally, the Leafs could always use a depth forward for the bottom-six. They do have competitive players in Bo Groulx and Steven Lorentz, but if Chayka trades wingers Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson, he’s going to need improved depth on the third and fourth lines.

MORE: Rasmus Andersson, John Carlson highlight top 5 2026 NHL free agent defensemen

All in all, the Maple Leafs need to be a better-balanced group, and we’re already seeing Chayka make moves to address deficiencies on the back end while trading from a position of strength by trading goalie Joseph Woll to the Philadelphia Flyers. And the acquisition of defenseman Darren Raddysh is almost assuredly going to lead to more trades involving Leafs defensemen, as we saw with the Brandon Carlo deal to the St. Louis Blues.

The Leafs are a work in progress as Chayka settles into the GM role. While the free-agent market is going to be rather shallow, Chayka has already shown a willingness to jump into the free-agent mix by acquiring Raddysh’s contractual rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning. That bold behavior has its risks, but Maple Leafs fans should be heartened to know that Chayka is addressing the team’s weaknesses and getting a head start on off-season moves.

Free agency can’t be the be-all and end-all for teams, as most players of high value never get to the open market. But if the Leafs can use free agency to augment their lineup, they’re going to be well on their way toward bouncing back in 2026-27 and getting into the playoffs again.

With the right free agent or two, the Maple Leafs will be far more competitive than they were this past year. So the next few weeks will be fascinating to watch as Toronto and the rest of the NHL jostle to improve significantly.

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