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Toronto Maple Leafs Could Target Veteran Centre In Free Agency Per Top NHL Insider

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 20, 2025 8:32 PM ET

John Tavares may be on the way out in Toronto, and now top NHL Insider David Pagnotta has linked the Maple Leafs to veteran Brock Nelson.

The Toronto Maple Leafs failed once again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and while some fans have called for sweeping change, it's very likely that there will simply be a few tweaks to this roster to turn things around.

Now, top NHL Insider David Pagnotta has suggested one replacement the team could look too, identifying Brock Nelson as a veteran that the Maple Leafs could target in free agency this summer.

The veteran centre was traded at the 2025 deadline to the Colorado Avalanche, but failed to deliver in his time with the team, and after his poor performances, it's likely that he'll hit the open market this summer.

Despite not playing at his best in Colorado, Nelson still tallied 26 goals and 56 points across two teams in 2024/25, and with a more talented roster around him in Toronto if things play out this way, he could be a good and relatively cheap pickup for the team.

While Nelson could certainly be a solid replacement if John Tavares doesn't return to Toronto in the summer, he could also find his way onto their third line, with Max Domi drawing heat after a terrible 2024/25 campaign with Toronto, with speculation that the organization could look to move on from him in the off-season.

At this point in time, there are plenty of moves that the Maple Leafs could make to improve this roster, and while Nelson will have plenty of suitors, if General Manager Brad Treliving can make some solid moves to improve this team, Nelson could be the perfect acquisition for the team ahead of another Stanley Cup chase in 2025/26.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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