Toronto’s offseason pivots toward bite and depth as the Maple Leafs shed some finesse in favor of grit. The goal is a tougher, more playoff-ready lineup that can grind with the league’s best when the chips are down. The central debate centers on a potential small-name swap that could shift the team’s balance between scoring punch and physical presence.

Brad Treliving is mulling a swap of Bobby McMann for Alexei Toropchenko, a move that would bring Berube’s Blues-influenced style to Toronto. McMann flashed 20 goals last season, while Toropchenko managed modest goal totals but carries a 60-point-pace through a 259-game resume and a history with Berube. The question: does Toronto gain traction from a physical, playoff-tested add-on or sacrifice a proven goal scorer for a seedier edge?

The piece frames this as a market-smart, name-value-light pursuit—prioritizing fit, depth, and a playoff-ready mindset over blockbuster targets. The Leafs’ depth gains could push any potential playoff performer higher in the lineup, but the calculus hinges on whether Toropchenko’s grit translates into meaningful fantasy value and whether McMann’s scoring ceiling is truly replaceable.