The Leafs Nation’s staff roundtable: 2026 offseason review

The 2026 offseason appears to have come to an end, and the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves a much different team from the one they had at the conclusion of the prior season.

Not only do they have a new GM and coach, but they have a different-looking roster headlined by the additions of Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky, as well as securing the first overall pick which they used to select Gavin McKenna. Combine that with what they already have in Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and John Tavares, the ingredients are there for this team to make a bounce-back.

Of course, the roster is far from a finished product and that leaves John Chayka plenty of time to make the necessary changes before the start of the season. But how many other moves he has left before camp remains to be seen at the time of filing, so there is a decent chance that a lot of the heavy lifting has already been done.

The Leafs Nation team came together to assess how Chayka has done so far this summer and whether the team has done enough to put themselves back in the playoffs. Without further delay, let’s get into the roundtable!

What are your thoughts on the Leafs’ offseason so far?

Arun Srinivasan, managing editor: I thought John Chayka did a terrific job during his first summer with the Maple Leafs. There’s role certainty involved for every player on the roster, the team is quicker, more agile, and better positioned to contend. Florida, Tampa Bay and Montreal are still ahead in the Atlantic, but Toronto is positioned for the playoffs, without sacrificing its future.

Alex Hobson, associate editor: I’m pretty happy with how the offseason has gone so far. Winning the draft lottery and bringing Gavin McKenna into the organization obviously gives everything else a little bit of a boost, but it’s encouraging that the Leafs have addressed the needs that they singled out after last season ended (most notably, adding puck-movers on the back end)

Michael Mazzei, writer and social media coordinator: John Chayka has done well in transforming the Leafs roster and remaking the look of the lineup surrounding the nucleus. Winning the right to select Gavin McKenna first overall has certainly helped improve the mood of Leafs Nation, but so have some of the new members being added like Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky. There’s a lot to feel good about, which the same couldn’t be said a few months ago when the 2025-26 season was falling apart.

Which of the new additions are you most excited about and why?

Srinivasan: Sergei Bobrovsky, by a mile. I know there are concerns about Bobrovsky’s .877 save percentage, but as I’ve argued all summer, volatility is inherent with goaltending. I’d rather have the Leafs bet on Bobrovsky’s upside then play it safe with another flavour-of-the-week type. If Bobrovsky returns to his career median, the possibilities are endless. 

Hobson: McKenna is the easy answer here, but I’m going to pivot elsewhere and say Darren Raddysh. Even if he’s not a 20-goal, 70-point player this season, the Leafs have not had a legitimate slap shot threat on the power play since Dion Phaneuf, and Raddysh is going to provide that. It’s also objectively cool that Sergei Bobrovsky will be in the blue and white next year, 38 years old or not.

Mazzei: I am eager to see what all of the new additions bring to the table, but Gavin McKenna is the highest on the list. Not only has it been a treat to see his highlights from his days before joining the Leafs, but his arrival signals the start of a new era for the team. Regardless of how things go in the immediate term, McKenna is the future and it will be fun to follow the start of his NHL career.

Are you satisfied with the roster as is or do you think John Chayka should make more moves?

Srinivasan: I’d love a seismic trade for Zach Werenski if it’s still viable. And I guess none of us should be satisfied until this is a Stanley Cup-winning roster, so yes, Chayka should make more moves. Whether a move makes sense at this juncture of the offseason is a different matter entirely.

Hobson: I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied per se, but I do think that it’s lost on a lot of people that no teams have a complete roster going into the season. That’s what the trade deadline is for. I’d like to see them add one more top-six forward, that would be nice, but who is available right now that they could get for an affordable price?

Mazzei: As much as I am satisfied with the roster as of now, I think it can still be better. There remains a question mark with their second-line centre spot long term and having a young succession plan in place to surpass John Tavares remains a high priority. I also wouldn’t mind them making one more move to shore up the backend with an additional puck mover that lessens the need for a guy like Philippe Myers.

If there are no other moves made, have the Leafs done enough to be a playoff team?

Srinivasan: Yes, they should be a wild-card team. Count Gavin McKenna as the deciding variable over a number of other teams fighting for the final two playoff spots.

Hobson: Yes, I think so. I think having a coach that suits their playstyle (again), McKenna’s presence and a revamped bottom six look is going to help them. Will they be a division-winning team again? Probably not, but I don’t see them missing two years in a row.

Mazzei: As of now, they have done enough to put themselves back in the playoff conversation and have a decent chance of reaching the dance for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. My confidence in that belief will rise once they further solidify the lineup.

Which game next season are you most looking forward to and why?

Srinivasan: Senators at Maple Leafs, October 3. Scotiabank Arena can be a library at times, but an opportunity to poke fun at the Senators’ dreadful offseason ought to create an electric environment. I want to see the corporate crowd live up to the task at hand.

Hobson: It’s a low-hanging answer, but how can I answer anything but opening night against the Habs? First look at McKenna, Raddysh, Bobrovsky, and more against the Leafs’ biggest rival? There’s nothing better.

Mazzei: I am honestly looking forward to every Leafs game next season, but one that has already caught my eye is their tilt against the San Jose Sharks on October 19th. McKenna vs Ivar Stenberg, Matthews vs Macklin Celebrini, a team on the rise vs a team looking to bounce back? It should be a dandy.