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Brad Treliving Has Officially Set the Maple Leafs Up to Make the Biggest Splash of the 2026 Free Agent Frenzy


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Ryan Smitheram
September 30, 2025  (10:45)
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Brad Treliving meets with the media
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton | Imagn images

After locking up Anthony Stolarz on Sunday, Brad Treliving's management of the salary cap has put the NHL on notice that they are big-time UFA players next summer.

A four-year deal that will carry a $3.75M cap hit for Anthony Stolarz ensures that all of the Leafs' key players are locked up for the foreseeable future.
Treliving has had quite the off-season, re-signing Matthew Knies and John Tavares to very reasonable deals and added Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli up front, giving the Leafs the deepest forward group they have had in years.

Maple Leafs Poised to Take Big Swing Next Summer

His shrewd negotiating and management of the rising salary cap has put the Leafs in a very luxurious position ahead of next summer with approximately $24M in cap space.
Scott Laughton and Matias Maccelli are the only notable players without contracts for the 2026-2027 season. Maccelli is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights while Laughton could test free agency, but it doesn't sound like he intends to at this point.
That being said, the Leafs are in a position to be very aggressive in their pursuit of someone like Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Martin Necas, or Connor McDavid, should they hit free agency.
While the Leafs want to win now, as does everyone else, Treliving's ability to not only deepen the current roster, but re-sign key players to team-friendly deals and keep their options open for next summer has been masterful.
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SEPTEMBRE 30   |   2347 ANSWERS
Brad Treliving Has Officially Set the Maple Leafs Up to Make the Biggest Splash of the 2026 Free Agent Frenzy

Which forward will the Leafs take a run at if McDavid isn't available?

Jack Eichel74631.8 %
Martin Necas28312.1 %
Kyle Connor88237.6 %
other43618.6 %
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