Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka's off-season work continued immediately after the 10th and final pick of the marathon two-day NHL draft, following the trade of Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues. Chayka now faces a new set of priorities, including free agency, restricted free agents, staff decisions, and development camp.
Free agency forecast
Free agency opens Wednesday, and Chayka indicated the Leafs will be active. After securing defenceman Darren Raddysh via a sign-and-trade with Tampa Bay before he hit the market, Chayka emphasized the need to improve a team that finished last in its division. The Carlo trade freed up significant cap space, pushing Toronto's room to over $22 million US.
“We’re trying to make the team better and that’s an avenue for us,” Chayka said. “We created more flexibility today. It’s a balance and we have to be disciplined to help the team short and long term, Darren being an example. We thought the pick was worth it to secure the player.”
Notable unrestricted free agents include goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, defenceman Rasmus Andersson, and forwards Anthony Mantha, Mason Marchment, and Boone Jenner. Chayka hinted at targeting depth rather than marquee names. “It’s depth (that’s desired), we have a few holes, see if we can round out the roster. There are bigger swings we’ll take, but ultimately it’s a two-sided marketplace and smart agents are trying to maximize the value of their players.”
The Bobrovsky angle is intriguing, as the 37-year-old Stanley Cup winner could reunite with former backup Anthony Stolarz. However, Chayka noted the team's goalie pipeline includes Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov. “Anthony has been a top goalie, but health and durability have been the question. But I’m not sure that’s going to be any different with another goalie we bring in. It’s a key position and if we have a chance to make it better, we’ll do that.”
Restricted free agents
The Leafs have four restricted free agents to consider: defenceman Emil Andrae (acquired in the Joseph Woll trade with Philadelphia), forward Nick Robertson, Jacob Quillan, and Mattias Maccelli. Chayka said no decisions have been made but retaining rights is important. “No decisions there, but certainly retaining the rights is important,” he said.
Staff hirings
Changes to the scouting and player development staff may be coming now that the draft is complete. Chayka arrived too late to make major changes to the structure left by predecessors Brad Treliving and Kyle Dubas. Notably, Judd Brackett, Chayka's new assistant general manager for player evaluation, gave the post-draft analysis instead of director of amateur scouting Mark Leach.
Regarding assistant coach Mike Van Ryn, whose return has been questioned, Chayka said, “Mike has done a good job here for awhile, it’s possible he’s with the organization in another role. I’ll leave that with (new coach Jim Hiller) in terms of how he puts his staff together. We collaborate on some things, but ultimately it will be his decision.”
Development camp
Development camp for prospects and Toronto's 2026 draft picks, including Gavin McKenna, will begin in Toronto in the coming days, with on-ice sessions later in the week. “The scouts and development folks will have collaborated on that (roster), but usually that’s been set for months,” Chayka said.
