The Toronto Maple Leafs may have fallen short again in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but one area they couldn't necessarily blame it on was their defense. The offense was the primary concern, which is why Mitch Marner and maybe even John Tavares are likely to leave in free agency. The goaltending depth was also an issue once Anthony Stolarz suffered his injury, as Joseph Woll stepped in and struggled at times.
The Maple Leafs will return six of their defenseman for next season, who played the majority of the games for them down the stretch. The consistency and familiarity for a top-six defense isn't a bad thing, and by all accounts, those six players are up to the task of performing at a Stanley Cup-caliber form.
One name that came up as a possible free agent target for the Maple Leafs this offseason is Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad has been the anchor of the Florida Panthers' defense for a long time, but the belief was that he would at least consider coming home to Ontario if the Panthers didn't have room for him under their salary cap. However, it appears that the Maple Leafs won't even consider the possibility, even if Ekblad had shown interest, according to Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun.
"Leafs apparently have no interest in Ekblad," Simmons wrote.
Whether it's the belief in the blueline that the Maple Leafs front office has already constructed or no desire to match Ekblad's contract demands, the Maple Leafs are staying away from landing a possible No. 1 defenseman.