The Toronto Maple Leafs made several moves this offseason in an effort to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2025‑26. Among those changes, general manager John Chayka revamped the team’s bottom‑six forwards, adding Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, Colton Sissons and Nick Paul.
Some observers view the acquisitions as a way to strengthen competition in the bottom six, but Nick Kypreos argues that the signings amount to overkill, noting the similarity among the new forwards.
Kypreos’ Criticism of Maple Leafs Moves Carries Questions
During a recent episode of Real Kyper and Bourne, Kypreos contends that the Leafs signed too many players with similar skill sets, highlighting the comparable speed and playing style of the four newcomers.
He points out that Nick Paul has progressed from top‑line duties to the third line, and that none of the quartet possesses genuine top‑six talent. Justin Bourne adds that the signings may hinder prospects such as Jacob Quillan from breaking into the NHL.
The most pronounced concern raised by Kypreos is the speed of the new bottom‑two forwards, questioning whether they can keep pace with the rest of the lineup.
“I would have preferred a speedy guy somewhere,” said Kypreos. “A real gazelle. I am worried a little bit about speed.”
Maple Leafs Haven’t Lost Speed With New Bottom‑Six
Statistically, the Leafs may have exchanged a modest amount of speed for veteran grit and improved special‑teams play on the bottom six. However, labeling the group as speed‑deficient overlooks the overall skill set they bring.
According to NHL Edge data, the fastest skater last season was Buffalo’s Beck Malenstyn, who topped out at 40.14 km/h. In comparison, here’s how the four new Leafs forwards stack up in terms of top speed.
Nick Paul, limited to 51 games by injury, recorded a top speed of 36.20 km/h. Brandon Duhaime peaked at 37.50 km/h, Colton Sissons at 36.99 km/h, while Teddy Blueger was the slowest at 35.77 km/h.
By contrast, prospect Jacob Quillan’s top speed, recorded in limited minutes, was 36.32 km/h. When considering playing time and context, the figures tell a clear story: the Leafs have not significantly sacrificed speed, especially when factoring in the intangible contributions of the quartet.
Nicholas Robertson, despite ranking in the 72nd percentile for speed, maxed out at 36.48 km/h. The most rapid skater the Leafs lost from the prior bottom six was Bobby McMann, who reached 39.03 km/h. Still, the combined intangibles of the new signings are difficult to quantify.
New Maple Leafs Bring Intangibles to the Table
Kypreos noted that Nick Paul brings a distinct skill set compared with his three teammates, while the others contribute various intangibles such as physicality, defensive responsibility and shutdown play.
Brandon Duhaime embodies a pest‑style physical game; he led the group in hits last season with 159. His ability to irritate opponents often turns into disruptive play, a trait seen in many effective troublemakers across the league.
Colton Sissons is a defensive specialist—while not on the level of Philippe Danault—who excels at defensive face‑offs, transitioning out of the zone and contributing on the penalty kill, thereby easing the defensive load on Auston Matthews.
Nick Paul functions as a jack‑of‑all‑trades, while Teddy Blueger provides shutdown capability, offering the Leafs an extra weapon against top lines. Even if he rotates between roles, each of the four brings a unique element to the bottom six.
The group may be older than what Leafs fans have grown accustomed to in recent years, but labeling the acquisitions as overkill overlooks the specific strengths each player adds to Toronto’s lineup for the upcoming season.