The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ training camp is quickly approaching, and perhaps they have one more offseason move up their sleeve before preparations for the 2025-26 campaign commence.

Much of the offseason dialogue since the free agent frenzy ended has been about their connection to Jack Roslovic, though there haven’t been any indications that something is close despite the Leafs being in contact with his camp. Darren Ferris revealed recently that he spoke with GM Brad Treliving about one of his free agents, which may have been Matt Grzelcyk though it’s unknown precisely who that was.

Beyond them, there isn’t a whole lot else out there in free agency that could make an impact on the Leafs and no one in the projected bottom half of the league is eager to sell off their top-six forwards just yet. But there is one name that has been slipping under the radar who could end up being exactly what the team needs to round out their forward group: Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov last played in the NHL in the 2023-24 season, where he split time between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, recording a combined 24 points (eight goals and 16 assists) in 63 games. It was a difficult season for the Russian forward, who regressed from his 55 points the year prior, spent time in the NHL Player Assistance Program, and went unclaimed on waivers. He was able to rebound his play with the Hurricanes, but opted to have the final year of his contract terminated before heading to the KHL.

He signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg, but later had his contract mutually terminated due to inconsistencies and disagreements with the coaching staff. Despite that tumultuous year in St. Petersburg, he still put up decent numbers with 37 points (12 goals and 25 assists) in 39 games played. It was good enough for seventh on the team in scoring and his 0.95 points per game ranked sixth in the KHL last season. which is impressive given how difficult it is to generate offence in that league. For reference, Josh Leivo led the KHL in scoring with 80 points, which would have tied him for 26th in the NHL.

With that saga behind him, Kuznetsov is now attempting an NHL comeback and has been ramping up his training to prepare for the new season. His agent, Shumi Babayev, recently told SportsDaily correspondent Mikhail Nyukhin that Kuznetsov is deciding between two teams that are trying to clear up cap space to sign him. Babayev noted that his client isn’t interested in signing to a PTO or to a league minimum contract, but it also won’t be to an excessive cap hit either.

While there is nothing indicating they are legitimately in the running for his services, the Leafs do fit the criteria of a team that could be interested in Kuznetsov. Treliving has reportedly been trying to move off David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok, though no trade is imminent at the time of filing. And while he is prepared to stick with what they have to start the campaign, he recently stated that he is always looking to make upgrades whenever possible.

The Leafs certainly match the description of one of the two finalists for Kuznetsov, but does it make sense for them to acquire him?

Kuznetsov, at his best, is a dynamic playmaking centre who thrives when surrounded by other skilled forwards. That would certainly help fill some of the void left behind by Mitch Marner (alongside Matias Maccelli) while also adding some additional depth to the Leafs down the middle. He would likely be given middle-six duties along with considerable time on the power-play, though it is unknown which unit he would ultimately spend more time on.

Some may wonder if Kuznetsov would work in a Craig Berube system, but his brief time with the Hurricanes indicates he should have no issues in Toronto under Berube. He put up decent possession numbers and scoring chances at 5v5 during the regular season and improved those underlying metrics in the playoffs. That, in combination with Berube’s direct style of communication, suggests that the partnership could work out for both sides.

There would no doubt be risks attached to such a deal, given how poorly his last NHL season went and that he has gotten his contract terminated in consecutive offseasons. But there will be plenty of motivation on his side to show that he is still an effective player at the NHL level, given he isn’t far removed from a 78-point campaign. And this is a player who has proven he can elevate his game in the playoffs, as evidenced by leading the 2018 Capitals in playoff scoring en route to the Stanley Cup.

If the Leafs want to get this done, they will need to trade away one of Kampf or Jarnkrok to free up enough space to sign Kuznetsov. CapWages says that Toronto has roughly $1.137 million in cap space available, so at least one cap dump trade should be enough to get a potential deal over the line. This hypothetical contract likely won’t be a long-term commitment since he is looking to prove himself, so some (but not all) of the risks would be averted as a result.

While it isn’t clear if they are indeed one of the finalists, the Leafs do make sense as a team that could be interested in Kuznetsov. If nothing else, the idea of them considering him adds some additional intrigue in the lead-up to training camp.