The Toronto Maple Leafs had one heck of a 2026 NHL Draft. Beyond landing Gavin McKenna as the top pick, the organization brought in nine other prospects. Expectations are high in Toronto, and justifiably so.
But the draft buzz is quickly beginning to fade, with the road ahead pointing towards the rest of the offseason.
As such, GM John Chayka will be looking to continue building the club this summer. That situation could lead to these next three moves in the coming weeks.
Maple Leafs Next 3 Moves Following NHL Draft
Maple Leafs to Go Big Game Hunting
So, there’s plenty of discussion about the Maple Leafs looking to target another major upgrade. There’s reason to think so, as the club has over $22 million in cap space. That’s enough room to target someone like, say, Jason Robertson or Zach Werenski.
The issue here is that these players will be available via trade, and Toronto might not have the ammo to pull them off.
That aside, there’s also the matter of free agency. While the market is hardly rife with big-name stars, the Leafs might still pursue one of the bigger names available. With so much cap space, the club might be enticed to sign two or three depth pieces to round out the roster.
But the biggest fish the Maple Leafs could be looking to reel in is goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Since the two-time Stanley Cup winner is unlikely to return to Florida, Toronto and its cap space could be enticing enough for the 38-year-old to ink a deal with the Leafs.
Sign Gavin McKenna
At this point, it seems like it will just be a formality to sign Gavin McKenna to his entry-level contract (ELC). Since the most he can sign for is three seasons, and there’s a cap on how much he can sign ($1.025 million).
The organization, nevertheless, will want to make a spectacle of the situation. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Maple Leafs organization hold some sort of presser to ceremoniously ink McKenna, sort of officially ushering the McKenna era in Toronto.
It will certainly be a noteworthy event for Maple Leafs fans. So, stay tuned for that one. It’s worth pointing out that there might be a chance McKenna returns to the NCAA next season. It’s incredibly slim, but it could happen.
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Officially Address Auston Matthews Situation
Since taking over, John Chayka hasn’t really addressed the Auston Matthews situation. While there has been a public exchange of platitudes, the fact is that there’s no real clarity on the situation involving the team’s captain.
Bear in mind that if there was a time to trade Matthews, it would be early this season. Whoever wants to acquire the former Maple Leafs first-overall pick would want to get as much as possible of the remaining time on his contract.
That conversation will surely come up if the Leafs have a terrible October. But if the club flies out of the gate, the narrative will transform into extending Matthews.
Regardless of that situation, the organization will need to address the Matthews situation this summer. Likely, the official party line will be that Matthews is committed to winning in Toronto. It will then be a matter of seeing how long that narrative holds.
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