Maple Leafs & Canucks complete blockbuster deal for 6-foot-2 center

The deal came only hours after Räty cleared waivers, which makes the timing even more unexpected.

Räty is a 23-year-old Finnish centre who was selected 52nd overall by the Islanders in 2021. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, and he can play both centre and wing.

He appeared in four games for Vancouver this season and scored one goal before being placed on waivers on Wednesday.

Toronto already owns a deeper forward group than Vancouver, so Räty will likely report to the Marlies for now.

That gives the Leafs a young depth option to watch closely without disrupting the NHL lineup. His contract runs through 2026-27.

Quillan, 24, heads west as a 2026 Calder Cup champion. The Dartmouth, N.S., native has 24 NHL games on his résumé, with three points and 47 hits, and projects best as a bottom-six forward. Vancouver may not need long to give him an NHL look.

Buhr, a Fort St. John, B.C. native, signed with Toronto out of Union College. He posted 19 goals and 36 points in 35 games there last season and added two assists in five AHL games. He has yet to play this season and will likely spend most of 2026-27 in the minors.

For Toronto, this is a low-risk depth gamble. Räty was once a potential top-five pick, and the Leafs are betting a new organization can unlock more consistency. Giving up two depth forwards to find out costs them very little in the short term.

The move also shows how quickly the margins of a roster can shift in October. Räty will need to earn his way up through the Marlies, and Toronto can reassess if injuries hit its forward group. Expect an official update on Räty's assignment in the coming days.

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