The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to undergo an offseason full of changes in an effort to regroup from the 2025-26 season that saw them go from aspirations of the Stanley Cup to finishing fifth last in the NHL.

This alteration will be felt most in the front office, as the team is closing in on who will be GM Brad Treliving’s successor, but it will also be seen in the makeup of the roster. Changes can come in the form of bringing in fresh new faces who provide a different element than what the current crop of players has to offer or by taking a chance on players already in the system who are on the verge of taking the next step in their careers. But there is a third option that is not often explored but could be worthwhile for the Leafs to consider: reuniting with former draft picks who have long left the organization.

Reports have recently emerged that Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, a former third-round pick in 2018, is considering a return to the Leafs this summer. It would certainly be an intriguing idea, given his two-way talents and the fact that he was making strides before opting to return to Russia in the summer of 2023. While it remains to be seen if this reunion will indeed come to pass, this line of thinking is something that the Leafs could nonetheless benefit from exploring.

So with that in mind, here are five other former Leafs draft picks they should consider giving another chance.

Semyon Kizimov was one of the last picks of the 2018 draft and has quietly put together some consistent production in the KHL to this point. He is fresh off a season where he produced 25 points (11 goals and 14 assists) in 52 games while adding three assists in six playoff games with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Kizimov has great puck skills, possesses a lot of creativity with the puck, has good awareness in the defensive end, and is willing to engage physically. One of the knocks against him back when he was drafted was his skating mechanics, and that might have played a factor in why he did not intially get a look in the NHL and KHL. He has since been a regular in the KHL, which now would indicate it has seen improvements in the years since being drafted by the Leafs.

The team still possess Kizimov’s signing rights and he is set to become a free agent this summer, so there is a path for this reunion to occur if he is willing to make the move to North America. Perhaps he could play a factor as a middle-six player who rotates around depending on the situation.

Axel Rindell has previously been given a chance by the Leafs when he signed a two-year entry-level contract back in April 2022. His first go around in North America only lasted seven months as he was placed on unconditional waivers and promptly returned to Europe, where he has remained ever since in the SHL.

Part of what might have led to his departure was the fact that he was barely getting any playing time with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and was instead assigned to the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers. Rindell probably thought that he wasn’t going to get a chance with the Leafs back then and figured his best path was to go to Sweden where he could get a better chance at developing his skill sets.

This past season with HV71 Jonkoping proved that it was the right call as he was one of the most productive defencemen in the league, with 36 points (10 goals and 26 assists) in 52 games that placed him tied for seventh in the league among SHL blueliners. Given that offence is difficult to come by in that league, it is an impressive achievement for Rindell. This, in combination with the desires of Auston Matthews and William Nylander to add mobility on the back end, makes the idea of a reunion with Rindell an appealing one.

Labelling himself as a power forward and idolizing Evgeni Malkin when he was growing up, Vladislav Kara always had aspirations of making the move to the NHL and envisioned himself being in Toronto five years from when he was drafted by the team. Of course, that has yet to come to fruition to this point but perhaps this summer could finally be the time, as the Leafs still have his signing rights and he is set to be a free agent.

Kara is primarily utilized as a winger, but has had experience playing centre during his younger days so he shouldn’t be too out of place taking draws. He is considered a two-way player who drives hard to the net, engages physically, and is a strong puck handler. All of that screams a reliable bottom-six winger who can play shutdown minutes and chip in the occasional goal.

Now his offensive production in the KHL this past season is far from impressive, as he is fresh off a combined six points (two goals and four assists) in 41 games split between Novosibirsk Sibir and Vladivostok Admiral. Kara isn’t far removed from a 35-point campaign with Balashikha Vityaz, so perhaps finally fulfilling his goal of playing for the Leafs could help reignite some of that lost offence.

Nikolai Chebykin is a big, strong winger with a shot to be feared and the willingness to play physically to match. Not only was he not afraid to fight for the puck and grind for plays, but he could also outmuscle his opponents for positioning and create some offence from the space he created.

Chebykin made a solid impression with the Leafs during the 2017 development camp, but they opted to let him go back to the KHL in the hopes of gaining more consistent minutes before offering a contract. That offer never came to fruition, and a year later, he was never offered a chance by then-GM Kyle Dubas, to which Chebykin held a bit of a grudge from then on.  A lot of time has passed since that initial shun and Chebykin has gone on to be a consistent 20+ point scorer despite bouncing between three different teams.

Last season saw him put up 28 points (eight goals and 20 assists) in 49 games played with Cherepovets Severstal while going scoreless in three playoff games. The 6’5″ and 222-pound winger’s signing rights still belong to the Leafs and with his contract with Severstal set to expire, perhaps the timing of a new front office is the right time to finally give Chebykin his shot in North America.

The Leafs Nation’s Jon Steitzer made a compelling argument for why the Leafs need to consider bringing back Roni Hirvonen, pointing to his strong season in Liiga as a primary factor. He produced at just under a point-per game and finished as one of Oulun Karpat’s leading scorers with 52 points (16 goals and 36 assists) in 57 games played. He finished tied for second on his team and tied for 12th in the league, easily the best offensive output of his career to date.

Hirvonen’s dimituative figure (5’10” and 170 pounds) made him a scapegoat for the begotten Dubas era that seemed to prioritze skill over size, which the Leafs went away from after Treliving took over. That regime change and two unfortunate injuries likely played a role in why Hirvonen was never given an extension last summer despite being given a qualifying offer.

Fast forward to now and perhaps the Leafs gave up on him far too prematurely based on what he was able to do in his first seaosn back in Liiga. Hirvonen was only signed to a one-year deal with Oulun Karpat last year, so the path for a return is there if the new regiume feels inclined to give the Finnish forward another shot.

Sunwing Vacations helps Canadians save more so they can do more on and off the resort, with all inclusive packages that bundle flights, hotels and transfers into one easy price, including added perks such as complimentary airport transfers. With a wide assortment of all inclusive packages to dozens of sun destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, Sunwing makes getaways simple so you can focus on enjoying the resort and exploring beyond it. For more information and to book, check out Sunwing.ca