Maple Leafs get tougher down the middle with reported Colton Sissons signing

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly adding some much-needed size and grit on Day 1 of NHL free agency. According to insider David Pagnotta, the Maple Leafs will be adding forward Colton Sissons on a free-agent deal.

The terms of the deal remain unknown at this time. Another insider, Darren Dreger, reported that talks are ongoing, but nothing has been finalized.

If the deal does get done, the Maple Leafs would be significantly shifting gears. The club is targeting players with experience and a solid track record.

Based on the moves we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the Maple Leafs’ forward group could look very different from this past season. Gone are Robertson, Matias Maccelli, and Calle Jarnkrok, among others.

As such, the expectation will be for a player like Sissons to add a dimension that the team did not have last season. Most importantly, it signals that the John Chayka regime isn’t afraid of shaking things up.

The 32-year-old is coming off a seven-year deal initially signed with the Nashville Predators. He joined the Vegas Golden Knights in 2025, scoring six goals and 11 points in 66 games last season. He appeared in 22 playoff games, adding two goals and eight points during the Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup final.

Sissons is a solid addition to Toronto’s bottom-six. He’s the sort of tough, reliable forward that the Maple Leafs just didn’t have in their bottom six last season. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sissons replace the departed Nick Robertson on the third line.

Last season, Sissons had a $2.85 cap hit. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him sign for about $3 million at this point. It would also be interesting to see the term on this deal. Potentially, something in the two to three-year range wouldn’t be a surprise, either.

The Leafs have nearly $21 million in cap space. So, there is plenty of room for other major moves to come.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow