“Mats and I have been working pretty hard now for the last several weeks coming up with what we think is a pretty comprehensive offseason plan, and this is a move we feel that is a part of that,” Chayka said. “There’s lots of work to be done with the roster.
“What we liked about this opportunity is that it allowed us to create some flexibility. I think flexibility and optionality are assets to any great organization, and certainly this allows us to be in a better spot as we think about the entire offseason plan.”
Chayka did not confirm if the Maple Leafs would extend a qualifying offer to Ersson. Goalies Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby would each require waivers next season to be reassigned to the American Hockey League, as would Ersson.
“We’re going to make some decisions as to what (our goalie pipeline) looks like,” Chayka said. “(Ersson’s) a good young goaltender; he’s someone we identified with upside and someone our staff could work with, so we will get together with (director, goaltending development and scouting) Curtis McElhinney and make that decision.”
The Maple Leafs struggled this season, but they do have the No. 1 pick at the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 26 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is the consensus No. 1 pick, but Chayka has not shared publicly who Toronto will select.
And the American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, are two wins away from a championship. They have a 2-0 lead on the Chicago Wolves in the best-of-7 Calder Cup Finals heading into Game 3 on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN). Chayka said watching their success has been encouraging.
“Any time as a manager you get some wins you have nothing to do with, that’s always a good thing,” Chayka said. “I think winning is the best development, and historically the teams that have won have been able to move players up at a higher rate. So, the fact that they are sitting where they are at is a good sign for the organization.”
