Earlier on In the 2025-26 NHL season when the Toronto Maple Leafs were struggling in almost every aspect of the game, it seemed like they needed help in just about everything. Whether it was their unstable goaltending, leaky defense, or inept offense, it felt like the Maple Leafs needed to make multiple moves to hopefully help turn the team around before they would fall off the face of the earth.
However, with their recent strong play, the Maple Leafs has suddenly seen a significant uptick in play by their offense, defense and goaltending at the same time, save for their throw-away game against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. In doing so, the team was finally on the same page with all things suddenly clicking even better than expected.
Are the Maple Leafs just one move away from perfecting their roster for the playoffs?
In doing so, it appears that the current group is practically set to compete effectively down the stretch and into the playoffs already. So rather than having to make numerous moves that one expected near the beginning of the year, could the Leafs be actually just one move away from rounding out their roster?
Starting with goaltending, the tandem of Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby has looked good in recent weeks, helping to provide much-needed consistency and stability in net for the Leafs. With their heroics, they have been able to pull out some wins in games they appeared destined to lose. With Anthony Stolarz on his way to potentially returning in a couple of weeks, Toronto should be more than fine with the trio that they have going forward.
As for the defense, Brandon Carlo has fitted in nicely with Morgan Rielly since returning from injury, while Jake McCabe/Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Simon Benoit/Troy Stecher have formed strong pairings to round out their much-improved defensive core. Adding someone like a Dougie Hamilton obviously would boost the team, but who do you take out of the everyday lineup? Stecher would probably be the obvious one likely to be pointed out. But honestly, he has been the under-the-radar saviour for the team since joining Toronto a couple of months ago so they can’t take him out. So it may be best to leave those six alone as well.
Finally, the top two scoring lines are potent as they are currently constructed, so that shouldn’t be touched. Which leaves just a potential upgrade in the bottom six, as adding someone with Stanley Cup experience that could play effectively as the grinder and hard checker in the playoffs along with some offensive output is exactly what the Leafs need to make the team complete. So someone more in the built of a Nicolas Roy or Bobby McMann would be perfect, so like Brayden Schenn? Or even Mason Marchment if he becomes available again after his previous trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Nevertheless, for a team that appeared to need multiple fixes just a few months ago, believe it or not they may surprisingly now be only one player away from having the perfect roster to compete in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.