The Toronto Maple Leafs certainly did the bulk of their roster tinkering during the first day of NHL free agency. On top of landing one of the top free agents in Sergei Bobrovsky, the Maple Leafs added many key role players in Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and even Nick Paul through a shocking trade to name a few.
However, what better way to round out the roster than to also inject some potential star power into the Leafs daily lineup heading into the 2026-27 NHL season. Not only could they provide an impact, but their pedigree could draw even more Toronto fans to look forward for their upcoming redemption year. As a result, here we will take a look at 3 former All-Stars the Maple Leafs could and should pursue that remain in the free agent market.
3 former All-Stars the Maple Leafs should land in free agency
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko may no longer be the prolific scorer he once was during his prime years with the St. Louis Blues where he had posted six 30+ goal seasons. Nevertheless, he has proven to still be quite a serviceable NHLer, putting up 40-50 points per season despite changing teams on five separate occasions during the past five years.
Most importantly, Tarasenko has proven to be a winner, having won the Stanley Cup in 2019 with the Blues and more recently in 2024 with the Florida Panthers. With over 132 games of playoff experience that has included 51 goals and 78 total points, that breadth of experience could come in handy as the Maple Leafs aim to make it back to the postseason and make some noise this coming year.
Patrik Laine
It was almost a decade ago when many debated on whether Auston Matthews or Patrik Laine should be the first overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Laine certainly did his part by hanging in there initially by posting four straight 28+ goals, 50+ points seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. However, a lot of that outburst has tailed off a bit in recent years for the once-promising potent forward after his departure from the Jets, leading to Matthews being now the undisputed top choice of the draft.
Nevertheless, Laine has still got some game left in him as he has managed to top 20 goals in three of his past five seasons despite being plagued with injuries. So where many had wondered how Matthews and Laine were comparable to each other from before, how about having both of them on the same squad on the Leafs to see what they can actually produce together? Given his recent injury woes, Laine will likely be headed towards a one-year “show me” deal. If so, it could be the perfect experiment that Toronto should gratefully undertake.
Patrick Kane
Finally, the move that could have a huge jolt up and down the Leafs roster is if they can add future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane. Known to be the idol of Toronto’s first overall pick from the 2026 NHL Draft in Gavin McKenna, Kane could be the perfect mentor for the young phenom in helping him grow and develop to his fullest potential.
In addition, with Kane being one of the best American players of his generation and Matthews being perhaps one of the best in the current one, it would be intriguing to have the generational players meet on the same team, even if just for one season, to see the potential magic they could produce on the ice. Especially when the 37-year-old veteran is just coming off consecutive 50+ point campaigns with the Detroit Red Wings, showing that old age hasn’t caught up to him just yet. When Kane eventually makes his decision, which could come soon, hopefully that decision points towards Toronto for the sake of McKenna and Matthews.
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