Toronto Maple Leafs: 2025-26 roster preview

With the summer dwindling to a close, the NHL season is quickly approaching. For the most part, rosters are set, though a flurry of moves around training camps is expected. For an aspirational contender like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the lineup is fairly steady. Let’s take a look at the organizational depth chart to get a picture of the battle for roster spots ahead.

Forwards

Knies—Matthews—Maccelli
McMann—Tavares—Nylander
Joshua—Roy—Domi
Lorentz—Laughton—Jarnkrok
xx—Kampf—Robertson

Quillan—Groulx—Cowan
Pezzetta—Haymes—Lettieri
Kressler—Boyd—Tverberg
xx—Holinka—Valis

Since his time with the St. Louis Blues, coach Craig Berube seems to have a specific belief in line construction. Clearly, it is a priority to build the right blend of skills for each line. The Leafs still boast a stable of puck talent up front, and finding forceful workers to play the net front and forecheck who have the quality to keep up is the challenge. GM Brad Treliving has his own beliefs, clearly valuing a presence down the middle.

The core of the team they inherited had strength down the middle, but Treliving is betting that Nicolas Roy will be the best answer the Leafs have had at complementing the offensive powers of Auston Matthews and John Tavares. Roy will be the defensive matchup centre, charged with taking on more skilled competition. Dakota Joshua seems a good bet, though perhaps the Leafs will need his services alongside Tavares and William Nylander.

NHL wingers

There will be rumours of a potential return for Max Pacioretty, but for now, it is worth noting that the Leafs have a great deal of uncertainty. It’s unlikely that one of Matias Maccelli or Max Domi will find themselves with Nylander and Tavares full-time, but both are locks for the top-nine. A lot is being placed on Bobby McMann remaining consistent enough to hold this spot for meaningful stretches. Calle Jarnkrok is a threat to find chemistry as a middle-six worker bee at his best, but that cannot be presumed.

Nick Robertson is facing an uphill battle, as the Leafs already have lots of offensive talent on the fringes. The same might be said for Easton Cowan. Both forwards offer some intensity to go along with their skill, but both will have to find more dimensions to their games to earn a regular spot this season.

Depth centres

For now, many expect David Kampf to be on the outside looking in. His contract, having two years left, is hardly ideal, but he does offer the Leafs an unquestioned quintet of proven NHL centres. His spot is not safe, however, and perhaps the team is waiting for growth from Luke Haymes or Jacob Quillan to consider such a move. Bo Groulx could be an interesting call-up option after a career year in the AHL. Perhaps he can follow in Simon Benoit’s footsteps as an Anaheim Ducks castoff who can carve out a depth role.

Depth

Michael Pezzetta stands out as a player who will likely get into an NHL game this season. Pezzetta can bring energy and physicality that can be circumstantially beneficial, and can likely pass through waivers without much fear of consequence. Vinny Lettieri and Travis Boyd are stabilizers for the AHL roster to provide structure for younger teammates. Time might be running thin for Ryan Tverberg and Braeden Kressler, while things are just beginning for Miroslav Holinka and Borya Valis. For this season, these players will not be relevant to the NHL efforts.

Shape

In all, the Leafs have a lot of depth to work with. Clearly, this is not a perfect forward group, but NHL lineups ebb and flow at the best of times. In a condensed Olympic schedule, having the depth to weather injuries and slumps will be vital to staying ahead in an increasingly competitive Atlantic Division.

If the Leafs bets on Joshua, Roy, and Maccelli pay off, a potential deadline add would be a player to complement Tavares and Nylander, a high-end henchman. Long term, Cowan might be able to push the group forward by clearing Domi and Maccelli. It’s easy to see how Pacioretty might be the only affordable and available upgrade at this point. There is at least a chance that McMann, Joshua, and Jarnkrok might keep things afloat in the meantime.

Defence

McCabe—Tanev
Rielly—Carlo
Benoit—Ekman-Larsson
Thrun—Myers

Rifai—Benning
Mermis—Villeneuve
Webber—Prokop
Chadwick
Smith

Again, the Leafs have made sure to build depth to survive the attrition. Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe were a fantastic shutdown pair last season, though both routinely bring the best out of their partners. At the same time, Brandon Carlo gives Morgan Rielly a quality and complementary partner. Though Berube is steadier with his defence pairings, the Leafs might opt to switch things up if they need a jolt.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been excellent on his weak side, though the Leafs ask a lot of him to fill whichever gap they need on the blueline. Simon Benoit showed a growing confidence towards the end of last season, and perhaps he can continue his late blooming into a bigger role.

Philippe Myers is a great cost-controlled complement as a big right-shot. His career has had its ups and downs, but an NHL frame and skillset are evident. Myers might have been in a competition with Benoit headed into last season, and although he often sat out, he is extremely valuable. Meanwhile, Henry Thrun has a ton of NHL experience. Being on a better team could help him, but he is the best option to replace the skill of Rielly or Ekman-Larsson at this point.

Depth

The Leafs have eight players who can at least reasonably handle NHL games, if not be worthy of NHL roster spots. Still, more will be needed, and at least one other defenceman will get a look in a game or two in emergencies. Veterans like Dakota Mermis and Matt Benning can certainly do so, just as they are likely to pass through waivers if needed.

Marshall Rifai might be ahead of both if age becomes a factor. Cade Webber might be the wild card here, a defensive defenceman who might pass all three veterans ahead of him. Camp will be crucial for both if they hope to leave positive lingering impressions with the Leafs coaches.

William Villeneuve might need a strong start to the season to earn a look over those two, though he might challenge Thrun on the offensive side of things if so. John Prokop is an older rookie who might provide some offence, though he also boasts the size that Treliving covets.

In this mould is prospect Noah Chadwick. Graduating from the WHL, where he captained his team and produced offensively, the big defenceman could become a bigger story if he’s able to work his way up the depth chart throughout the season. Merely surviving in a third pairing role in the AHL would be a good season, so any positive reviews will be worth their weight in gold for the Leafs future.

Of course, it is not a perfect depth chart, but the Leafs have several viable options outside the NHL as opposed to a volume of potential high-end prospects.

Goalies

Stolarz
Woll

Hildeby
Akhtyamov
Peksa

What a surprise, as depth is once again the theme. Clearly, Treliving has put a priority on a more traditional roster construction, evident down to his goaltending. Of course, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll will battle for the playoff starting role. Having a strong tandem will be extremely beneficial with a condensed schedule. Upstart teams may dazzle with upside, but the Leafs depth and structure will be huge advantages in the long run of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the training wheels are off for the young duo of Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov. Both have been on a consistent rise through the ranks, and likely at least one will be tested with an NHL injury replacement this season. A regular backup role is yet unproven for either, but they are both within striking distance. Hopefully, neither is required, with the Leafs tandem staying healthy, but there will likely be some drama around these two in the season ahead, if not in the preseason.

Vyacheslav Peksa will need a much stronger season to stay with the team beyond this year. In the same age cohort as Hildeby and Akhtyamov, he might soon be replaced by younger competitors. For now, Hildeby remains unsigned, though a short, cheap deal around the start of training camp is expected. Without arbitration rights, Hildeby is somewhat at the mercy of the Leafs.