The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to create a new identity this season -- turn over a new leaf, so to speak -- and one of their most recent additions to the roster just adds to that. Plus, head coach Craig Berube knows what he can get from him.
On Monday afternoon, the Maple Leafs claimed two players off waivers. One was goaltender Cayden Primeau, with eyes on being a more secure third-stringer than prospect Dennis Hildeby and veteran James Reimer (whose tryout was quickly over), and the other was forward Sammy Blais. Blais was famously a depth forward on the Berube-led St. Louis Blues teams and the current Leafs coach knows what he has.
Berube on Blais, having worked together in St. Louis: "He knows what I expect out of him and I know what I'm getting out of him. He's a heavy, heavy hitter. He hits people hard. He's strong on the forecheck, he has no fear in him." #Leafs
— Terry Koshan 🇺🇦 (@koshtorontosun) October 7, 2025
"He knows what I expect out of him and I know what I'm getting out of him. He's a heavy, heavy hitter. He hits people hard. He's strong on the forecheck, he has no fear in him," Berube said Tuesday via Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan.
That's what you love to hear about a fourth-line grinder. The very first description being that he hits people extremely hard. That's all you need. Skating? Shooting? Agility? Defense? Awareness? Stickhandling? All of that is boring. The moment Blais lines someone up in his fifth game of the season all the way in December, and then just lays someone out, it's going to be so great. Zero fear. We love it.
Blais most recently laced up for the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, where he scored 14 goals and 40 points in 51 games for the eventual Calder Cup champions. And somewhat surprisingly, he earned just 4 penalty minutes all season long. Now, in the 23 playoff games he appeared in (which he scored 19 points), he did earn almost double. A total of 77 penalty minutes in those 23 appearances. He might just be a gamer who comes alive for the moment (and sits in the penalty box). It's honestly impressive he was able to score so many points with how often he was sitting in the box.
The 29-year-old forward won't be a mainstay in the Leafs lineup but to provide some rugged toughness on the fourth line or to get some physical energy exerted out on the ice -- like a caged-up pitbull -- Blais might be useful.
Toronto starts its 2025-26 season Wednesday night hosting the archrival Montreal Canadiens. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.