- Chayka says the Leafs will keep chasing difference-makers this summer
- He calls a GM’s job a “star hunt” and expects more market movement in July and August
- Read below for what it means for Morgan Rielly and Toronto’s next move
John Chayka isn’t ready to call it a summer.
The Maple Leafs GM spent the first days of free agency reshaping his roster, and he made it clear this week that he’s still looking to add. Chayka told reporters the Leafs will keep hunting for players who move the needle.
“We think we’ve got some good stability through our lineup now. If we can add difference makers, I think we should always be trying to do that,” Chayka said. “And it does feel like there might be more liquidity in the market in these July, August months.”
Here’s Chayka’s full media availability from free agency:
Chayka went a step further when he laid out how he sees the job.
“Purely philosophically, I think a general manager’s job is to star-hunt, first and foremost,” he said. “This game can be changed by a few top players making a big impact on a franchise.”
Toronto has already been busy. Chayka re-signed Troy Stecher and brought in Teddy Blueger, Zack MacEwen, Brandon Duhaime, and Vinnie Lettieri, on top of landing top prospect Gavin McKenna and signing Sergei Bobrovsky in net.
Take a look at Duhaime meeting the Toronto media after signing:
Those are depth pieces, and Chayka knows it. He said the bottom of a roster matters, but it doesn’t win you anything on its own.
“The depth piece matters, how you fill out a roster, how you manage the cap, that’s all necessary, but not maybe sufficient,” Chayka said.
One name that keeps coming up is Morgan Rielly. Chayka didn’t rule out a Rielly move earlier this week but said the veteran defenseman is still part of the plan. Rielly’s camp submitted a list of teams he’d accept a trade to.
The Leafs are close to capped out after their July 1 spending. If Chayka wants another star, he’ll have to move money out first.
