What happened: Center Teddy Blueger has signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs at a $2.25 million average annual value. The 31-year-old spent his last stretch as a free-agent signing in Vancouver, where he became a fixture in the Canucks' bottom-six after arriving in 2023-24. He previously won a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.
Why it matters: The move gives Toronto a defensively reliable, penalty-kill-capable center for the depth of its lineup heading into the 2026-27 season. For Vancouver, it thins an already-taxed center group that leaned on Blueger through a stretch of injuries and roster turnover down the middle.
By the numbers: Blueger skated alongside high-energy wingers Dakota Joshua and Conor Garland during his Canucks tenure. He appeared in all 82 games in 2024-25 with eight goals and 18 assists, and tied a He added a four-game point streak in April following a stint with Latvia at the Winter Olympics.
What to watch: Watch how Toronto slots Blueger into its bottom-six and special-teams units, and how Vancouver addresses the resulting hole at center this offseason.