Leafs make nearly 20 roster cuts, put 8 players on waivers

With the 2026-27 regular season just days away, the Toronto Maple Leafs are making the kind of difficult decisions that every NHL team faces at this point in the calendar. Thursday brought a massive wave of roster moves from the organization, as Toronto trimmed its group in a big way, sending a combined 19 players either to waivers, down to the minors, or back to their European clubs.

Eight players hit the waiver wire

The headlining move saw eight players placed on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to the Toronto Marlies. The group includes Philippe Myers, Steven Lorentz, Vinni Lettieri, Michael Pezzetta, Brendan Brisson, Marshall Rifai, Henrik Rybinski, and Ryan Tverberg. Lorentz's placement on waivers had already been reported beforehand, but the rest of the names rounded out a sizable group of cuts.

Some of the names were expected. Myers, for instance, had a rough 2025-26 campaign, and the Leafs completely overhauled their defensive corps this offseason with an emphasis on mobility rather than stay-at-home types. Brisson, a free agent signing, was always going to be a long shot to crack the opening night roster. Rifai has long been a Marlies mainstay, while Tverberg was a Calder Cup standout who will continue developing in the AHL.

Lettieri and Rybinski both had solid preseason showings but were widely expected to head to the Marlies regardless. Pezzetta, meanwhile, figures to be one of the first names called up if Toronto decides it needs some extra physicality in the lineup at some point during the season. Teams now have 24 hours to claim any of the eight players. If they go unclaimed, they will be assigned to the Marlies or potentially the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

More moves still to come

In addition to the eight waiver transactions, the Leafs also directly reassigned 10 players to the Marlies: Artur Akhtyamov, Ken Appleby, Noah Chadwick, Ben Danford, Luke Haymes, Samuel Hlavaj, Miroslav Holinka, Jacob Quillan, Landon Sim, and Blake Smith. On top of all that, Tinus Luc Koblar was returned to Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League.

Even after all of these moves, the Leafs still have some work to do. The roster currently sits at 24 contracts, one over the 23-man limit. That means at least one more player needs to go, with William Villeneuve and Bo Groulx being the most likely candidates. Villeneuve is dealing with a long-term injury, which makes him the more probable choice to be waived and sent down for later reassignment. Groulx has made a solid push to earn a bottom-six role and appears to have a better chance of sticking around.

There is also the matter of Nick Blankenburg, whose potential signing would require the Leafs to create even more roster space. Friday afternoon should provide more clarity, as the waiver window closes and the front office determines whether any of the eight players were claimed. Either way, these are the kinds of moves that signal the real thing is almost here. The regular season is right around the corner, and Toronto's opening night lineup is nearly set.