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Armchair GM Thread 2026/27

CarltonTheBear

CarltonTheBear

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Likely line-up depth chart heading into free agency this summer would look something like this:

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
McKenna-Tavares-Cowan
_____-_____-_____
Joshua-Haymes-Lorentz
Pezzetta

Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-Tanev
Benoit-OEL
Myers

Woll
Stolarz
Hildeby

IR: Domi

Notable RFAs: Robertson, Maccelli, Quillan, Tverberg, Thrun, Villeneuve

Based on this depth chart, and with Domi NOT on LTIR, the Leafs would have a smidge over $21mil in cap space to play with this summer.

Obviously Domi and his $3.75mil AAV contract are a bit of a wild card here as it's unclear whether his current health situation is just offseason threatening, season threatening, or career threatening.

This is also using a maximum ELC cap hit for McKenna (or Stenberg, but it'll be McKenna) of $1.075mil. That's of course before any potential performance bonuses (believe maximum of $3.5mil). It'd probably be wise to try to account for at least some of that but obviously that can also be carried over to 27/28 if needed.

Big questions for the offseason:

1) Will a Morgan Rielly trade finally happen?
2) How do the Leafs add another centre, or two, or three?
3) Do the Leafs go big-game hunting in free agency for Tuch and/or Raddysh
4) Does the current 3-headed goalie situation get solved before training camp?
5) Anyone still wanna talk about MitcSDFJJASDFABASEA
 
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7338953/2026/06/08/wild-free-agents-mccarron-kaprizov-mailbag/ said:
Mats Zuccarello is still out there, there was mutual interest at the end of the season for a reunion. Is that still the case? Would the Wild’s pursuit of Larkin change that? They play different positions, but the Wild are running tight on money, and Larkin makes $8.7 million. Also, assuming Joel Eriksson Ek wouldn’t be in the package, Larkin would be on the No. 1 power play along with Kirill Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy and Quinn Hughes.
Click to expand...
Minnesota just re-signed Michael McCarron to a 6-year, $3.3mil AAV deal. That drops their cap space down to about $9.5mil, but how much of that will need to be saved in case a Larkin trade happens?

If Zuccarello ends up hitting the market he'd probably be my top free agent target. Obviously a little bit on the older side (turns 39 right before training camp) but he's still had a ton of success as left-shot playmaking right winger setting up a left shooter in Kaprizov. If even some of that translate over he would be a great option for a Knies-Matthews top line. At his age too an overpayment wouldn't be the end of the world for just a 1 or 2 year deal.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
2) How do the Leafs add another centre, or two, or three?
4) Does the current 3-headed goalie situation get solved before training camp?
Click to expand...
There are not a lot of UFA centers out there (not a lot of UFA anything out there)
Boone Jenner, 32 (born in Ontario) projects to go for 5.2M/yr x 3yrs
That could get them a 2/3 center for no talent cost
He seems like the best UFA available (unless I missed someone)
I do not know him really well ... I'm spitballing a bit because there is not a lot out there and they can't afford much for a trade

The three headed goalie situation has to get resolved or I think they will lose one on waivers.
I would flip one of them to land a decent bottom 6 forward

This below requires crazy luck on the UFA market

Knies-Matthews-Cowan
Marchment-Jenner-Nylander
McKenna-Tavares-Mantha
Joshua-Laughton-forward from goalie trade
Lorentz

Idea is to spread Matthews, Nylander & Tavares on 3 lines to use their talent to elevate the others - to help create some depth

(Quillan, Haymes, Holinka waivers exempt center depth)
(Buhr, Valis waivers exempt right wing depth)
(Tverberg & Grouix exposed to waivers)


McCabe-Raddysh/Andersson (if they can add one of those 2 - Raddysh being crazy overpayment ..)
Rielly-Tanev
OEL-Carlo
Benoit/Rifai/other-Villeneuve

(Chadwick/Webber-Danford waivers exempt depth dmen)

Woll/Stolarz (trade one)
Hildeby

(Akhtiamov - waivers exempt depth goalie)

IR: Domi

Again, just spitballing. They won't land all those UFAs but the projected cap numbers are close
There is not tons out there on the UFA market which is why that spitballed roster is unrealistic
I'm not too high on any of the UFAs

work-in-progress

With the right coach, they could make it back to the playoffs
 
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Here are, I think, probable moves the Leafs could make. Jenner is from Dorchester, recently switched agents, so this is him coming home, ditto for Raddysh who's from Toronto. Arvidson will need a pep talk from Sundin, maybe that works. Arvy is good defensively and can put up some points. I'm really thinking that 3rd line can go up against other teams top lines, saving the 1st line for more offensive zone starts.

Danford is my 1st D call up for spot duty.

This leaves about $2.5m in cap space:


Screenshot-2026-06-09-at-10-11-01-AM.png
 
dappleganger said:
Here are, I think, probable moves the Leafs could make. Jenner is from Dorchester, recently switched agents, so this is him coming home, ditto for Raddysh who's from Toronto. Arvidson will need a pep talk from Sundin, maybe that works. Arvy is good defensively and can put up some points. I'm really thinking that 3rd line can go up against other teams top lines, saving the 1st line for more offensive zone starts.
Click to expand...
I really like Jenner, and I'd be willing to turn a blind eye to some of the aging/injury concerns provided that the contract wasn't absolutely insane, but to me his biggest question mark is can he play centre. Columbus has been trying to move him out of the position for awhile now. Part of that is surely because they've added centre depth over the years with guys like Monahan and Fantilli and Coyle, but it's also possible at this point in his career playing the wing is just where he'll be the most effective. That'll be a question for the pro scouts though.

Raddysh I'd absolutely be willing to go hard after during free agency. $10mil might be a little bit rich though. I wouldn't expect a hometown discount to mean $7mil but something in between like $8-9mil and I'd definitely be down.

Arvidsson, again certainly another player I like but given the inconsistency he's shown throughout his career $6mil on even a 3-year term would be much too rich for me.
 
Adam Wylde on the SDPN podcast said Rielly parting is a done deal. I'm still hopeful for a Pettersson/Rielly swap.

I really think the Leafs need one of Raddysh/Andersson/Carlson for the right side. There isn't really of top LH Defense available as a UFA.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
I really like Jenner, and I'd be willing to turn a blind eye to some of the aging/injury concerns provided that the contract wasn't absolutely insane, but to me his biggest question mark is can he play centre. Columbus has been trying to move him out of the position for awhile now. Part of that is surely because they've added centre depth over the years with guys like Monahan and Fantilli and Coyle, but it's also possible at this point in his career playing the wing is just where he'll be the most effective. That'll be a question for the pro scouts though.

Raddysh I'd absolutely be willing to go hard after during free agency. $10mil might be a little bit rich though. I wouldn't expect a hometown discount to mean $7mil but something in between like $8-9mil and I'd definitely be down.

Arvidsson, again certainly another player I like but given the inconsistency he's shown throughout his career $6mil on even a 3-year term would be much too rich for me.
Click to expand...

If Jenner can't play centre, I don't see another good option out there in free agency.
 
dappleganger said:
If Jenner can't play centre, I don't see another good option out there in free agency.
Click to expand...
I'd be open to a Laughton reunion but obviously that's a bit of a step down. Dickinson would likely be out there too but again that's another 3C and I'm not particularly crazy about him. Chayka might just have to pull a rabbit out of his hat for a centre though.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
I'd be open to a Laughton reunion but obviously that's a bit of a step down. Dickinson would likely be out there too but again that's another 3C and I'm not particularly crazy about him. Chayka might just have to pull a rabbit out of his hat for a centre though.
Click to expand...
I would be surprised if they came back with Tavares as the 2C and I'd be highly disappointed if he doesn't get slotted down to 3C or turns into a winger.
 
herman said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2064413219314110501
See if we can get the rights to Barrett Hayton as well for the middle-6 C and puck moving RD in one transaction.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty skeptical considering the source (a social media user with no connections heard second hand information about a player "hearing" rumours") but Durzi does seem like someone who could be available and worth looking into. He's had back to back just ok seasons with Utah it seems (with injuries likely playing a role), and his ice-time did drop considerably late last season once they got Weeger. This offseasons just so weird with so many teams, including Utah, likely having more cap space than they know what to do with I'm sure not how motivated they'll be to really sell low on him.
 
dappleganger said:
If Jenner can't play centre, I don't see another good option out there in free agency.
Click to expand...
I penciled him in because he wins faceoffs, hits, blocks shots, has a moderate ppg.
He's got a lot of defensive zone starts, But his +/- is near the bottom of his team over the last 5 years.
I know who he is but I'm not very familiar with his game.
I really don't know.
Laughton seemed misused last year. Though I have to wonder if he'd want to come back to a 28th place team trying to turn it around. That had to be pretty ugly memory for him.
The list of available UFA centers is pretty brutal and it will get shorter before July 1

The one thing I would explore is they have to part with one of the three goalies.
When they do, I'd be trying to flip that goalie to get a center.

In a pinch, Lorentz has done it for the 4th line
 
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