TORONTO HOCKEY DAILY | NHL TEAM | TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The Leafs appear to have struck gold with waivers claim: 'This guy is legit'

PUBLICATION

Mike Armenti
January 4, 2026 (4:22 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Maple Leafs have had a ton of injury trouble on the blueline, but one recent addition to the D corps has made Craig Berube extremely happy.

For most of this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been operating well understaffed on the blueline, with Brandon Carlo and Chris Tanev among those who have missed most of the season thus far.

On Saturday, the Leafs also may have lost Jake McCabe to injury, though we do not yet know the severity of the injury. The McCabe loss would be a tough one, as the veteran blueliner is a team-leading +26 this season.

The 2nd-best +/- rating belongs to a player who has not been with the Leafs all season, but was a waiver pickup back in mid-November. I am, of course, talking about Troy Stecher.

Leafs coach Craig Berube thinks Troy Stecher is "legit"

Stecher is second only to McCabe with a +11 rating this season, and a solid defensive game is not all he brings. Craig Berube recently raved about one of his favourite new toys on the blueline, praising him as a great person and a great teammate, adding that he brings the type of snarl that he loves.

"The reports were that you were getting a great person and a great teammate, and that is true. This guy is legit. What I didn't know about him is that he brings a ton of gamesmanship in the room and on the ice, which I really like. He has some snarl to him, and he is not afraid to speak up, whether it is on the ice to the other team or to our team. I really like what he brings."

Loading from Twitter ...

Stecher has earned rave reviews around the room as well, with Auston Matthews among those players who really appreciates what Stecher has brought to the table for the Leafs this season.

You have to wonder how long it will be before Berube and company begin to pressure management to begin work on an extension for Stecher, as it is not often that a coach and a waiver claim click as well as Berube and Stecher have.

For Stecher, the prospect of having potentially found a home beyond this season must excite him, given the fact that he is on his 7th team in 10 NHL seasons. Of course, there are no reports that extension talks have begun yet, so he'd be wise to temper his expectations, as should we.

Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily

Some awful news to report regarding Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev

Mitch Marner makes rare social media appearance to send public message to Leafs captain Auston Matthews

Craig Berube not happy with Joseph Woll after poor decision results in a Leafs OT loss

POLL
14 HOURS AGO \| 218 ANSWERS The Leafs appear to have struck gold with waivers claim: 'This guy is legit' What type of deal should the Leafs offer Troy Stecher to extend in Toronto?
▢ Up to $1M
▢ Up to $2M
▢ Up to $3M
▢ Let him go as a UFA

The Leafs appear to have struck gold with waivers claim: 'This guy is legit'

The Maple Leafs have had a ton of injury trouble on the blueline, but one recent addition to the D corps has made Craig Berube extremely happy.

Leafs coach Craig Berube thinks Troy Stecher is "legit"

What type of deal should the Leafs offer Troy Stecher to extend in Toronto?