In the 27th of a 32 part series leading up to the start of the 2025-26 National Hockey League regular season, we will look at the key off-season transactions made by all NHL organizations with an overall grade. Here are the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs added three forwards in the offseason. They were winger Matias Maccelli of Turku, Finland, left winger Dakota Joshua of Dearborn, Michigan, and center Nicolas Roy of Amos, Quebec. It will now be offense by committee for Toronto as the franchise traded Mitch Marner, their leading scorer last season to the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason.
Matias Maccelli
Maccelli was traded from the Utah Mammoth to the Maple Leafs for a conditional draft pick on June 30. The draft pick will be the second round pick in the 2029 NHL Entry Draft if the Maple Leafs make the playoffs in 2025-26 and if Maccelli has 51 points. If one of those things does not happen, then the Mammoth get a third round pick in 2027.
The Maple Leafs will be Maccelli’s third NHL team. He was previously with the Arizona Coyotes and the Utah Hockey Club. Maccelli is expected to be on the Maple Leafs number one line with Americans Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.
In 2024-25, Maccelli had eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 55 games. He was a -13 with eight penalty minutes, three power-play points, 86 shots on goal, six faceoff wins, 10 blocked shots, six hits, 11 takeaways, and 46 giveaways.
Dakota Joshua
Joshua was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Maple Leafs for a fourth round draft pick in the 2028 NHL Draft on July 17. Toronto is Joshua’s third NHL team after two seasons with the Blues and three seasons with the Canucks. Joshua is expected to be on the Maple Leafs’s third line with Canadians Max Domi and Roy.
In 57 games, Joshua had seven goals and seven assists for 14 points. He was a -13 with 38 penalty minutes, two power-play points, one shorthanded point, 52 shots on goal, 23 faceoff wins, 29 blocked shots, 193 hits, 12 takeaways and 36 giveaways. Joshua’s power-play points came in Canucks overtime wins.
Nicolas Roy
Roy was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Maple Leafs for Marner on Canada Day. The Maple Leafs are Roy’s third NHL team after two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and six seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights where he won the Stanley Cup in 2023.
In 2024-25, Roy had 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points. He was a -4 with 43 penalty minutes, four power-play points, three game-winning goals, 107 shots on goal, 371 faceoff wins, 47 blocked shots, 72 hits, 20 takeaways, and 58 giveaways.
Projected Offseason Grade
Losing Marner is a tough pill to swallow for Maple Leafs Nation. He had 102 points last season, which was the fifth most in the NHL. Meanwhile, the three Maple Leafs added by Toronto GM Brad Treliving combined for 63 points. It is safe to say this trio have heavy shoes to fill. The Maple Leafs offseason grade is a C-. The chemistry between Marner, Matthews and William Nylander simply has not been there in the playoffs, where games matter most.
