Why the Maple Leafs should consider claiming Philip Tomasino off waivers

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed Philip Tomasino on waivers on Tuesday according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, and the Toronto Maple Leafs would be wise to place a claim on him.

Originally drafted 24th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2019, Tomasino has yet to fully establish himself as a regular NHL player who can be entrusted to play more than 15 minutes a night. He showed flashes of his potential in the early going, but struggled in his last season in Nashville before a midseason trade to Pittsburgh.

His production saw an uptick after joining the Penguins, recording 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) in 50 games played to provide some much-needed secondary scoring for the team. It was enough to earn him a one-year extension on July 1st that carried a $1.75 million cap hit, and what was expected to be continued growth for the 24-year-old winger.

Fast-forward to now, and things have gone south in a hurry for Tomasino to the point that he is now on waivers, free to be claimed by any other team that wants him. It has not been a great fit with the newly appointed Penguins head coach Dan Muse, as Tomasino has appeared in nine games so far this season and has only registered an assist in that span. He has been used mostly as a bottom-six forward, getting fewer offensive zone starts than he did last year, and has only played in one game where he had more than 14 minutes of ice time.

It is clear that this is a talented player who could use a fresh start, and it’s for that reason why the Leafs would be smart to take a flyer on the Mississauga native.

Philip Tomasino has had a tremendous start through five games with the penguins:
• 3 goals, 1 assist (primary)
• 4 points
• 3 goals in last 4 games (4-game pt streak)
• 15 shots in his last 4 games (most among fwds)

I would say, he just needed a change of scenery. pic.twitter.com/UFyJR6N4V7

— ChelPenguins (@ChelPenguins) December 7, 2024

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In years gone by, the Leafs wouldn’t have been able to take a chance on a player like Tomasino off waivers because they would be pressed up against the cap and have no room to make any additions because of roster limits. And while they are at the roster max of 23 at the time of filing, they have plenty of cap space to make a waiver claim work with roughly $3.3 million available after placing Chris Tanev on LTIR and calling up Jacob Quillan.

Tomasino is also a right-shot forward, which is an area where the Leafs are in desperate need of getting additional help up front to add more versatility. The team only has three such forwards in William Nylander, Calle Jarnkrok, and Nicolas Roy, the latter of which expected to miss a few games due to an upper-body injury. Having the ability to play someone comfortably on the right side at forward is just as important as on the backend, and having at least one on every line could do wonders for roster balance.

He is noted for his high motor, strong skating, and willingness to apply pressure on the forecheck, which makes him a threat on offence. Tomasino has playmaking abilities and has a good awareness of finding his teammates, but he can certainly burn goalies with his wicked shot if given time and space. While not known for his defensive abilities, his active stick could make him useful along the walls and up high to disrupt plays and start the counterattack.

All stats are at 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick

The best part about the hypothetical waiver claim is that the Leafs would retain his rights at the end of the season, as Tomasino would be an RFA when his current contract expires and he won’t reach UFA status until 2029. They could reassess where he is at and if they are happy with what they see, then an easy qualifying offer does the trick. Otherwise, they let him become a free agent without worry since they didn’t have to give up an asset to get him.

Combine all of that with the Leafs being ravaged by injuries and them being high on the waiver claim priority standings because of their slow start, and it makes a ton of sense for them to take a chance on Tomasino. To make this work, putting one of Sammy Blais or Philippe Myers on waivers would more than likely be the play, since both would be on the outside looking in when the lineup is at full health regardless. Given how desperate the Leafs would be to get a spark of some kind, there will surely be opportunities abound for him upon his arrival.

While it is without its risks because of Tomasino’s inconsistencies, the upside and ability to retain his rights make the gamble worth it. That’s why it would be a good decision for the Leafs to claim him off waivers before the window closes at 2 p.m. on Friday.

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