Amid Injuries And Three Consecutive Losses, Maple Leafs Call Up Vinni Lettieri

Could we be seeing a new player make their Toronto Maple Leafs debut this week?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have called up forward Vinni Lettieri from the Toronto Marlies, according to the official league roster filing on Sunday.

The 31-year-old veteran forward joined the Maple Leafs organization ahead of the 2025-26 season, where he recorded 14 goals and 28 assists in 55 games and was the leading scorer in the AHL playoffs with 11 goals and 15 assists in 23 playoff games with the Toronto Marlies.

Although he did not get an opportunity with the Maple Leafs last season, Lettieri re-upped with the Maple Leafs on a one-year, one-way deal worth $850,000, and he’s already been on a roll offensively with the Marlies. He has three goals and six assists in five games in 2026-27.

The Leafs failed to generate much offense in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday. With John Tavares out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the Leafs are looking for more offensive help, and a player like Lettieri is certainly deserving of a chance.

Across 155 NHL games prior to Toronto, Lettieri has posted 15 goals and 32 points, typically in a bottom-six or depth role with roughly 11 minutes of ice time. He has long been a reliable AHL scorer (over 330 career points) who can play center or wing, offering organizational insurance when NHL injuries arise.

Thus making it a great time to give someone like Lettieri a chance.

Whether Lettieri gets that chance or not as soon as Monday will be made clear when the club holds a full morning skate ahead of their game against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.

Lettieri, from Excelsior, Minnesota, did not dress for the Marlies game against the Belleville Senators on Sunday afternoon. 

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