F Connor Dewar
Playing typically in the bottom-six for the Maple Leafs since he was acquired from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline last season, Connor Dewar has primarily been for the most part just a defensive specialist for the club. That is because in 47 career games with Toronto, Dewar has put up just 1 goal and 7 assists for 8 points while averaging just under 11 minutes a night.
This season, the 25-year-old forward began the year on the injured reserve as a result of shoulder surgery and had to play some catch up when he finally returned to the lineup in mid-November. But with other players having somewhat established their roles on the roster in the meantime,
Dewar suddenly found himself with lesser and lesser playing time this season, averaging only 10 minutes a night. His main strength is primarily with his play on the penalty kill, as from an offensive standpoint, he has registered just three assists in 30 games to date.
But with Leafs seemingly focussing on using Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies more in recent times when a man short to add some serious offensive threat on the penalty kill, it has inadvertently reduced Dewar’s role on the team even further. As a result, any potential addition at the forward positiposition made at the trade deadline will likely bump Dewar to the pressbox, given his limited impact and usage going forward.
F Ryan Reaves
Originally signed to a huge three-year deal by the Leafs to add some much-needed toughness to their lineup, Ryan Reaves have found himself being used more sparingly as time passed by. As Toronto has slowly moved towards a more offensive attack while using a collective group effort when dealing with adversity and animosity, Reaves’ role has begun to diminish even more this season in his second year with the team.
Averaging just less than 8 minutes a night in 2024–25, Reaves has recorded just two assists in 35 games played, which is behind his pace from last season where he put up 4 goals and 2 assists in 49 games of action.
More significantly, he has engaged in only one fight all season this year in protecting his teammates, which was one of the primary areas in which the Leafs thought he would give them a big boost in. (All stats from hockey-reference.com and naturalstattrick.com, and salaries from Puckpedia.com)
As injured players made their way back into the lineup, Reaves has found himself to be one of the first ones to be healthy scratched for the bulk of the time. With the 38-year-old winger falling out of favor in recent weeks, he will be in tough to secure any playing time going forward, especially if the Leafs add another body or two when all is said and done.