After being the busiest team in the league on July 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs answered some questions about their goaltending and added to their bottom-six with a sneaky late afternoon trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Forward Nick Paul was sent to the Maple Leafs in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick.

The move came after the signing of veteran starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year contract worth $7 million annually. With Anthony Stolarz about to begin the first year of a four-year contract and Artur Akhtyamov blossoming into a star in the AHL, the Leafs clearly had more belief in Akhtyamov being the goalie of the future for this team. It also helps that Bobrovsky was Akhtyamov’s idol growing up.

While Nick Paul, 31, is somewhat of a bounce-back candidate, he also has the highest ceiling of any of the depth forwards they signed on Wednesday. Last season was a down-year as he battled injuries, with 15 points in 51 games, but he recorded 22 and 24 goals in 2024-25 and 2023-24, respectively. He can play up the middle or on the wing, and his defensive instincts should open up a path for him to be the team’s third-line centre in the fall. He’s also on an extremely affordable contract, making $3.15 million annually for the next three years.

In the end, this was a move that was probably going to happen at some point, at least regarding Hildeby. He’s the same age as Akhtyamov and the fact that he requires waivers as of this year left the Leafs in a bit of a tough position. General manager John Chayka noted recently that the front office had taken notice of Akhtyamov’s Calder Cup performance, and this trade confirms their belief in him as their goalie of the future. The fact that they were able to parlay him and a couple of mid-round picks to add a two-way bottom-six forward with 20-goal upside is a tidy piece of business.