Maple Leafs Linked to Free Agent Dillon Dube

Dillon Dube, Calgary Flames is now a UFA

The NHL ruled last week that the five former Canadian World Junior team players who were acquitted on sexual assault charges this summer can return as of Dec. 1st. With that, rumors have begun as to where some of the players could wind up.

According to insider Darren Dreger, ex-Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube could be a solution for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their top six.

🚨 Ex-Calgary Flame Dillon Dubé could be a potential top-six option for the Maple Leafs this fall. Dubé and former New Jersey Devil Michael McLeod “are not going to have any problems finding homes, NHL homes.”

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Treliving and the Toronto Maple… pic.twitter.com/PndNlt6Cr5
— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) September 15, 2025

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if (Leafs GM Brad) Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs put their hat in the ring and take a decent swing at Dillon Dubé," said Dreger on TSN's First Up.

Treliving, of course, was the GM with the Flames, and drafted Dube in the second round in the 2016 NHL Draft, then re-signed him to a three-year deal after his ELC, with a $2.3 million cap hit.

Dube had back-to-back 18-goal seasons with the Flames in 2021-22 and 2022-23, before a brutal '23-'24 campaign that could have been affected by the knowledge he was about to be charged in January of '24.

Dillon Dube could 'come in and fill a top-six role' for the Leafs: Insider

“It doesn’t mean that Toronto is a frontrunner," continued Dreger. "It doesn’t mean that the Maple Leafs are going to land Dillon Dubé. But I mentioned earlier about their want for a top-six forward. The assumption is that a player like that could come in and fill that role.”

Dube, 27, played last season with Minsk Dynamo in the KHL after he was made ineligible by the NHL while the legal case was underway.

Dube, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were all acquitted by a London, Ont. court on the sexual assault charges stemming from a 2018 Hockey Canada event incident.

This past week, commissioner Gary Bettman ruled that any of the players can sign contracts as of Oct. 15, and are eligible to return to NHL game action on Dec. 1. They can also begin conditioning in the AHL as early as Nov. 15.

Overall, in his six years with the Flames Dube had 57 goals and 127 points in 325 games, with 387 hits. He's averaged 13:06 of ice time per contest.