Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up before playing against the Anaheim Ducks at the Scotiabank Arena on March 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)One of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ notable offseason additions was veteran forward Colton Sissons, who signed a two-year, $8.5 million deal. Sissons comes with a $4.25 million cap hit annually after recording 11 points in 66 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season.The move helps Auston Matthews and Toronto solve a major roster problem: building enough depth around a star with a $13.25 million cap hit that remains one of the team’s biggest commitments. Matthews has two years left on his current deal, and Toronto is starting the season with little projected cap space.Could Colton Sissons change Toronto Maple Leafs deadline plans?Colton Sissons can impact how aggressive Toronto Maple Leafs are leading up to the NHL trade deadline. His $4.25-million cap hit adds to Toronto’s depth on the third line but comes at the expense of cap space that could be used on a future trade.Sissons isn’t being acquired in large part to fill Auston Matthews’ offensive production. But his value is his versatility, experience and defensive responsibility. NHL.com named him as part of Toronto’s effort to bolster the club up the middle after a busy offseason.Sissons, who played last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, is coming to Toronto. He finished with six goals and five assists in 66 regular-season games and had eight points in 22 playoff games.That profile gives the Maple Leafs another veteran who can handle tough minutes, while also allowing the coaching staff to spread the responsibility around.How does Auston Matthews affect Toronto Maple Leafs depth?The Toronto Maple Leafs need to be cost-efficient around Auston Matthews' deal. That $13.25 million cap hit is a big chunk of the team’s payroll, so the supporting cast is going to have to do its part more and more.Matthews is still the centrepiece of the Toronto lineup, but the organization has adopted a more balanced approach to roster construction than simply relying on its highest-paid forwards. Sissons joins veteran forwards such as Max Domi, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger.A better middle six can relieve some of the pressure on Matthews during the regular season. If Sissons and Toronto’s other depth forwards can consistently take care of the defensive chores and penalty-killing duties, Matthews can stay focused on leading the team’s top offensive unit. The bigger question is if that depth is good enough to warrant the financial commitment.When could Toronto Maple Leafs revisit their roster?The NHL trade deadline could show us if Toronto’s offseason depth investment was sufficient. Toronto is in a negative cap space position today according to PuckPedia’s 2026-27 cap overview, but the club does have projected playoff cap space under its current structure.That could make future additions tricky if injuries or performance issues expose another weakness.For Matthews and the Maple Leafs, the goal is simple: build enough around their captain to make the roster more resilient without losing the flexibility to improve it when it matters.