The National Hockey League's deadline for qualifying offers is rapidly approaching with the deadline at 5:00pm EST on Monday evening, and that makes the most recent news coming out of Toronto that much more interesting.
According to a report from NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs have qualified 3 players ahead of the deadline, but the bigger story here may be who they have not qualified.
First let's take a look at who got their qualifying offers today:
The biggest name here will be that of that of long time Maple Leafs forward Nicholas Robertson. It has become clear in recent years that Robertson would prefer to get a chance to play elsewhere, but with his qualifying offer number so low there was simply no way the Maple Leafs weren't going to qualify him. The Leafs do so for the low, low cost of just $1.8 million but there may be more to this story in the coming weeks given that Robertson is arbitration eligible.
The Maple Leafs have also qualified defenseman Emil Andrae who was recently acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, with many excited to see what the 24 year old blue liner will have to offer in Toronto.
Last but not least we have Jacob Quillan who is fresh off of a 2026 Calder Cup win as a member of the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies, it should come as no surprise to anyone that he was qualified on Monday.
As I mentioned the bigger story here may be who wasn't qualified, and that is Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli. Maccelli has a big qualifying offer number at $4.1 million and there have been questions about whether or not the Maple Leafs are prepared to go down that road. As I mentioned time is rapidly running out however, and if the Maple Leafs do not qualify or trade Maccelli before the deadline he will become an unrestricted free agent. That would mean losing him for nothing.
