Can the Toronto Maple Leafs finally do it?
After pushing the Florida Panthers to the limit, the disappointed Maple Leafs should actually feel good about their odds heading into 2025-26. The Panthers are a juggernaut, and Toronto was one of the few teams that could skate with them.
Even after losing Mitch Marner, this team is not that far away from a title. But there are some holes to address first.
NHL Insider David Pagnotta said on “Hello Hockey” that the Maple Leafs are “still looking for a top six guy, they’d still like somebody on that right side.”
Currently, Toronto has four top six locks in Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies. Max Domi and recently-acquired Matias Maccelli should have plenty of opportunities on the top lines, but who can fill that right-shot winger void?
One potential option is Pittsburgh Penguins veteran Bryan Rust. Rust, 32, knows how to play with elite centermen (ever heard of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin?) and would churn out points alongside Matthews or Tavares.
Despite the Penguins’ agonizing play this past year, Rust had his most productive campaign as an NHLer, netting 31 goals and 65 points over 71 games.
He also knows what it takes to win in the playoffs, a problem that has haunted the Maple Leafs for generations. Rust was a cog on both of Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2016 and 2017, and would add the toughness, skill, and determination necessary to win.
Rust is not a cheap player, though, and is set to earn $5.125 million for each of the next three years. That would complicate Toronto’s cap situation, as it has just under $3 million available.
However, the Penguins feel destined for a rebuild, and retaining salary for extra draft picks could be a viable solution for both parties.
