As the 2025-26 NHL season approaches, the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. After a busy offseason marked by significant roster changes and the high-profile departure of Mitch Marner, the Leafs are still searching for the final pieces to complete their lineup.

With new additions like Nic Roy, Matias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua, Toronto has added valuable depth and addressed some key concerns, but the quest for a top-six forward remains their top priority.

General Manager Brad Treliving faces mounting pressure to make the right moves, balancing the urgency to strengthen the team with the need for careful, calculated decisions.

The Leafs have been linked to several big names across the league, and speculation is swirling as fans and insiders alike wonder who might join Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on Toronto’s top line.

With time ticking down before training camp and the preseason, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

All eyes are on Treliving as he navigates this critical juncture, knowing that the next move could define the Maple Leafs’ season—and their future.

Photo credit: Hockey Patrol

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for a couple of final pieces ahead of the 2025-26 season, with insider Frank Seravalli explaining their plan going forward.

It’s clear that the Leafs have done well for themselves this offseason, adding several pieces like Nic Roy, Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua while also being able to get rid of their distractions, mainly Mitch Marner.

Though they are a lot deeper overall in their lineup, there are still a few things to be done, with the priority seemingly being adding a top-six forward to their ranks, most likely to play alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies up front.

Toronto not done dealing, but waiting for the perfect time

They have been linked to several names on the trade market, and they still have a couple of free agent options left, but they need to work hard and fast to get something done, lest they wait too long for a deal to materialize.

Which is why Frank Seravalli believes that even though the Maple Leafs have missed out on several names, don’t expect that to stop them from getting a move made:

I’d imagine the Leafs aren’t done, if there’s a move to be made out there, if you think back to all the different names that have moved, they’ve been in on 60-75% of those players.

Looking back at some of the different names that have swapped places since last season: Brad Marchand, Mikko Rantanen, Brock Nelson just to name a few; the Leafs were all heavily linked to them at the deadline and continuing on until free agency.

Toronto’s next move needs to be calculated as much as it needs to be quick

Clearly the team has a plan, and they are trying to put in into fruition as best they can with the moves they’ve made. Still linked to Nazem Kadri, Jared McCann, Brayden Schenn, and Bryan Rust, Brad Treliving has options, though they come at varying costs.

So knowing that we just went through a bit of a lull with the NHL offseason, as things slowed down considerably, there is only a limited time before training camp and the preseason and if they team still isn’t confident going into October, they need to make a move quick.

But they also can’t rush to make a move for the sake of it either. They still have limited cap space, a Nick Robertson arbitration case to worry about, and a few other trades to subtract from their team as opposed to add.

Plus, with the news that Matthew Tkachuk may be out until after Christmas, it becomes even more imperative that the Maple Leafs find that X-Factor in order to get a head start on the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.

It’s clear that a move is going to be made, and it’s a matter of who and when, not if. But Brad Treliving needs to tread carefully, and he may decide to wait things out until March.