With only one month left on the NHL regular season schedule, the Toronto Maple Leafs will look to finish off the year with some respect and dignity after enduring a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. Nevertheless, the Leafs are on track to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Consequently, Toronto will likely undergo major roster changes this offseason to get the team back on track.
Despite having a couple of pending free agents traded at the deadline in Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann, the Maple Leafs still have a select number of unrestricted free agents heading into this offseason. However, there is a good chance that they all won’t be a part of the roster retooling that will be needed to get the Leafs to become contenders again. As a result, we will take a look at 5 players that are likely entering their final month with the Maple Leafs organization.
Calle Jarnkrok
What began as a prominent fixture in the Leafs lineup playing in all situations when he first started with the club four years ago, Calle Jarnkrok has seen his role diminish significantly during his final season of his current four-year contract with Toronto. Having been a healthy scratch on numerous occasions this 2025-26 season, Jarnkrok still managed to appear in 44 games for the Maple Leafs to date, registering only six goals and one assist for seven points while averaging a career-low 11:27 of ice time per night.
Not including his injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign last year with Toronto where he only saw 19 games of action, the 34-year-old forward is on pace for his worst totals since 2014-15 back when he was with the Nashville Predators. Safe to say, the Maple Leafs won’t want to spend the $2.1 million AAV per year that Jarnkrok had been getting for a fourth-liner going forward.
Matt Benning
Acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the Timothy Liljegren trade, defenseman Matt Benning had practically spent his entire tenure with Toronto down with the Marlies since coming over to the organization. In 68 total games player with the Leafs’ AHL-affiliate, Benning has amassed four goals and 17 assists for 21 points. The 31-year-old defender managed to get into only one game with the Maple Leafs thus far, and it took place this season, playing over 12 minutes and recording three blocked shots against the New York Islanders on January 3.
With players such as Dakota Mermis and Philippe Myers getting the call ahead of Benning whenever the Leafs needed reinforcements for their blue line this season, it appears as though the 31-year-old veteran defenseman and his future role with the organization will likely be non-existent.
Travis Boyd
Travis Boyd was signed this past offseason by Toronto to a one-year contract to add forward depth to the organization. But unlike his first go-around with the team back in 2020-21 where he contributed three goals and five assists for eight points in 20 games played with the Leafs, Boyd had been stuck with the Marlies all season this year.
Nevertheless, the 32-year-old veteran has been productive whenever he received playing time with the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, compiling 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in just 34 total games played. With that solid performance, Boyd could find a team willing to take a chance on him once again at the NHL level this coming offseason.
Vinni Lettieri
Another signing by the Leafs this past offseason, Vinni Lettieri played a similar role to Boyd in providing organizational depth at the forward position. In 47 games played with the Marlies to date, he has accumulated 12 goals, 27 assists for 39 points. But with the likes of Bo Groulx, Jacob Quillan and even Michael Pezzetta all ahead of him in the pecking order as all have made their Maple Leafs debut this season, Lettieri’s future in making Toronto’s NHL squad or even remaining with the organization appears bleak.
Troy Stecher
Finally, for what began as one of the Maple Leafs’ smartest moves this 2025-26 season, that move in picking up defenseman Troy Stecher off of waivers from the Edmonton Oilers has apparently fizzled out in recent weeks. Stecher had impressed initially with the Leafs, contributing both from an offensive and defensive standpoint while playing big minutes at the same time.
However, with his recent decline in play, he has seen his minutes significantly cut back, including being a healthy scratch in recent games. On the season, Stecher has compiled three goals and 10 assists for 13 points, along with 22 hits and 62 blocked shots in 46 games thus far with the Leafs. For someone that once appeared to be a sure candidate to return to Toronto for next season, with major changes likely in store for the club this summer, Stecher may no longer be a part of the retooling.