Toronto Maple Leafs

The Best Bargain Contract on the Maple Leafs by a Long Shot

Zack MacEwen arrived with modest expectations. Now the Maple Leafs may have found one of their best bargains for just $875,000.

by
Old Prof
November 3, 2026

Sometimes the best bargains in hockey aren’t the players who arrive with big introductions and plenty of expectations. They’re the guys who come in, do their jobs, and gradually make you wonder how the team got so much for so little. Zack MacEwen is starting to look like one of those players for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When the Maple Leafs signed MacEwen to a two-year contract worth $875,000 per season, nobody was expecting much offence. He was supposed to bring some toughness, work hard, and give the fourth line a little more bite. That’s a useful job, but it isn’t exactly the sort of signing that gets fans excited in the summer. Well, things have turned out rather differently.

What a Start MacEwen Has Had for His New Maple Leafs Team

Through his first 10 games, MacEwen has two goals and four points. More importantly, he’s helped turn the fourth line into one of the more dependable parts of Jim Hiller’s lineup. He’s bringing energy, finishing checks, and giving the team something it can use on nights when the top players aren’t getting much room.

For less than a million dollars a season, that’s pretty good business. The Maple Leafs may have found a keeper. What makes this interesting is that MacEwen might be giving Toronto more than anyone expected when the contract was signed. He’s not just filling a spot. He’s making the fourth line useful, and every good team needs that.

Of course, there’s a catch. The Maple Leafs won’t stay healthy forever, and when players return, MacEwen’s place in the lineup could become less certain. Hiller and the coaching staff will eventually have to make that decision. But why worry about that today?

Zack MacEwen placed on waivers by Senators — Zack MacEwen has come a long way since the Senators placed him on waivers.

MacEwen Has Earned His Chance, and He’s Running with It

MacEwen has earned his opportunity. He’s earning his money, and probably making the people who brought him in look pretty smart. Who knows how long this continues? Hockey has a way of reminding us that a good stretch doesn’t always last. Still, Maple Leafs fans have every reason to hope this is the beginning of something that sticks around.

Right now, MacEwen might just be the best bargain on the team. And that’s a pretty nice surprise for a player nobody expected to be talking about this much.