Toronto Maple Leafs News

William Villeneuve will return to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for a fourth straight season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The 23-year-old puck-moving defender was Toronto's 2020 4th-round pick (122nd overall) but has yet to make his first NHL appearance despite solid offensive numbers every season with the Marlies. He is expected to start 2025-26 as one of the Marlies' main defenders after his four-goal, 40-point season last year across 55 games played.

Toronto continued to add to their forward depth on Thursday after the team announced they have traded a 2028 4th-round pick to Vancouver for left-winger, Dakota Joshua. The 28-year-old is in the 2nd year of a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25M AAV) and should slide in nicely on Toronto's third line with his physical play style. Vancouver will be happy to shed the cap space after Joshua put up a disappointing seven goals and 14 points in 57 games played last season, while Toronto will be hoping he can return to his 2023-24 form (18G/32Pts) with a full, healthy training camp.

Toronto has signed their 2024 5th round pick (151st overall) on Tuesday after agreeing to a three-year, entry-level contract with Miroslav Holinka. The 19-year-old Czech forward spent 2024-25 as an import for Edmonton (WHL) and succeeded in his inaugural North American season with 19 goals and 45 points in 47 games played. He is expected to return to Edmonton for the 2025-26 season.

Vinni Lettieri will join his third NHL team in three years after signing a one-year, $775,000 contract with Toronto on Wednesday. The 30-year-old forward is expected to compete for a bottom-six spot in training camp after putting up three goals and five points in 26 games with Boston in 2024-25.

Groulx was the 54th overall pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs after spending most of his career with the Ducks organization. The 25-year-old scored 37 points (15G / 22A) in 47 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Mermis played four NHL games last season, splitting time between Utah and Toronto, but spent most of the campaign in the AHL. He had seven points (0G / 7A) in 32 games with the Toronto Marlies.

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Pezzetta joins a division rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs on a two-year deal worth $787.5K. The 27-year-old Pezzetta was limited to only 25 games last season and was unable to score a single point. He has 38 points (15G / 23A) in 200 career games and will likely be fighting for a fourth-line role on the Maple Leafs in 2025-26.

Vegas moved on from six-year veteran Nicolas Hague on Sunday when they agreed to a deal with Nashville for Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon. Sissons is a 31-year-old centre who should battle for a bottom-six position with Vegas in 2025-26. He appeared in 72 games with Nashville in 2024-25, producing his lowest goal (7), point (21) and SOG (80) totals since 2020-21.

Wood's contract certainly isn't the best, as he has four more years at $2.5M AAV, but he's a physical bottom-6 winger that will help Columbus replace some of the wingers they let walk in free agency. Most recently, Wood missed 45 games in 2024-25, finishing the season with just four goals and four assists in 37 games.

Tavares takes a massive pay-cut to stay with his hometown team. Even at age-34, Tavares looked every bit of No.2 centre in 2024-25, posting 38 goals with 36 assists (74 points) in 74 games. He'll once again settle in behind Auston Matthews on the centre depth chart in 2025-26 and will likely be a 30-30 player for the third time in four years.