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It isn’t often that the Toronto Maple Leafs are a significant amount below the salary cap, but that’s exactly where they find themselves right now. Past the two way point of the start of free agency, they have north of $5 million in space that they can use to their liking.
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Of course, general manager (GM) Brad Treliving may opt to keep this space open into the season to make any potential 2026 Trade Deadline acquisitions less of a headache. If he is still hoping to make some improvements to his roster before the 2025-26 season gets underway, however, these four remaining free agents would make plenty of sense.’
Jack Roslovic
In the eyes of most, the best forward remaining on the free-agent market is Jack Roslovic. The 2015 first-round pick is by no means an elite player, but has twice surpassed the 20-goal mark in his career, including this past season in which he recorded 22 goals and 39 points with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Given how long Roslovic has remained on the market suggests he isn’t getting as much money as his party had expected. He may instead have to settle for a lesser deal, and the Maple Leafs are rumoured to be interest. It certainly wouldn’t be the worst fit having him slot in as a middle-six option. He was projected to sign a contract worth approximately $4 million per year before free agency began.
Max Pacioretty
He isn’t nearly as prolific of a goal scorer as he was throughout the prime of his career, but Max Pacioretty proved in 2024-25 that he can still be an effective player. The 36-year-old had five goals and 13 points in 37 regular season games with the Maple Leafs, but upped that production to three goals and eight points in 11 outings when entrusted with a top-six role.
What made Pacioretty so impressive last season was that he was able to completely adapt his game when playing bottom-six minutes. Not only did he still produce some secondary offence, but he turned into a much more physical player than we’ve ever seen him be. Bringing him back on a cheap, one-year deal would be a solid move by the Maple Leafs. He’s expected to sign for less than $1 million should he land another deal.
Viktor Olofsson
If the Maple Leafs would instead prefer a winger who has the potential to provide more offensive jam than Pacioretty, they may want to consider arguably the best natural winger still up for grabs in Viktor Olofsson. The 28-year-old is far from a superstar but has an elite shot that makes him a threat anywhere on the ice.
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Olofsson has scored 20 or more goals in three of his six NHL seasons and is particularly effective when on the power play. He certainly won’t provide the physicality Pacioretty brought, but would add more offence in a lineup that could use it following Mitch Marner’s departure. The Swedish sniper is expected to land just over $3 million per year.
Craig Smith
If the Maple Leafs are looking to replace a veteran in Pacioretty with another older leader, Craig Smith is perhaps worth considering. The 35-year-old struggled immensely with the Detroit Red Wings to close out the 2024-25 season but was solid in his 40 games prior with the Chicago Blackhawks, recording nine goals and 16 points.
Smith isn’t the same player he was during the prime of his career, but can still provide some secondary offence. His point totals don’t jump off the page in recent years, but he continues to be effective at creating scoring chances, getting rush shots, and perhaps most importantly, forechecking. Smith’s age and struggles with the Red Wings suggest he’d be lucky to get anything more than a league-minimum deal at this point in his career.
Maple Leafs Could Use More Offence
As mentioned when discussing Pacioretty, the departure of Marner via trade to the Golden Knights will hurt the Maple Leafs offensively. While they still have plenty of weapons in the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies, losing a player who put up 102 points is a major loss. While none of the four above would be a replacement, they could help ease the blow and are all very affordable for a Maple Leafs team who boasts significant cap space.
