Toronto Maple Leafs

Waiver Claim Paying Off as Former Oiler Shines for Maple Leafs

Troy Stecher has been great for the Toronto Maple Leafs since being picked up on waivers, playing more minutes than ever before.

by
NHL Trade Talk
November 30, 2025

Troy Stecher wasn’t brought in with much fanfare, but he’s quickly becoming one of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ best in-season finds. Claimed off waivers to help stabilize a battered blue line, the 31-year-old has wasted no time proving he’s far more than a depth stopgap — he’s been one of their most reliable defenders.

Stecher logged a team-high 23:52 in Saturday’s 7-2 win over Pittsburgh, his fourth-highest ice time in a single game since the 2018–19 season. Thrust into a top-four role with Simone Benoit out and both Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo unavailable, he delivered an impressive all-situations performance: one assist, a +3 rating, a block, a takeaway, and steady defensive work.

Stecher still tilted the ice Toronto’s way in many instances, and through his first six games, Stecher leads the Leafs in expected goals share at even strength (64 percent). So too, he has been on the ice for almost no high-danger looks against.

Stecher Has Been a Great Find for the Maple Leafs

The fact that he wasn’t a regular on a struggling Oilers’ roster and was picked up for free by the Maple Leafs means the Leafs got a find. For a blue line desperate for stability, those are massive early returns.

Troy Stecher has been great for the Maple Leafs since being picked up on waivers

Head coach Craig Berube praised the addition when Stecher arrived. “He’s a right-hand shot. Very competitive. Got experience. We were looking for another D, and the right-hand shot was what we needed,” he said. After several games where Stecher has been in the lineup, Berube has to like what he’s seeing.

Stecher has given them exactly what the Maple Leafs needed and could have hoped for. With key defenders still sidelined, expect him to keep logging big minutes. Even when players return, one has to wonder whether Stecher is earning the coach’s trust to the point that he will be given priority minutes over others.

For a team needing defensive reliability, he’s been a genuine win off the waiver wire.

Next: Mitch Marner’s Toronto to Vegas Transition Has Hit a Rough Patch