With one week to go until the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are With one week to go until the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are shaping up to be sellers for the first time in nearly a decade.
After returning from the Olympic break with two straight losses, Toronto sits eight points back of the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot with five teams sandwiched between them. The Maple Leafs are on track to see their playoff streak end after nine seasons, an active record in the NHL.
Five members of the Maple Leafs were listed on the updated TSN Trade Bait board Friday, starting with winger Bobby McMann at No. 7.
Fellow pending unrestricted free agent Scott Laughton was listed at No. 21, followed by blueliners Oliver Ekman-Larsson (No. 25), Simon Benoit (No. 39), and Brandon Carlo (No. 42).
Laughton and Carlo were added by the Maple Leafs at last year’s deadline at significant cost.
The Maple Leafs sent forward Nikita Grebenkin and a first-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Laughton, who retained half of his $3 million cap hit
Carlo was acquired from Boston Bruins for centre Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. He remains signed through next season at a cap hit of $3.485 million after Boston retained a portion of his $4.1 million salary.
Both Grebenkin and Minten have spent this season in the NHL with their clubs, with Grebenkin posting four goals and 12 points in 44 games and Minten owning 14 goals and 29 points in 58 games with the Bruins.
Laughton has eight goals and 11 points in 41 games this season, while Carlo has five assists in 36 games on the blueline.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported this week that the Maple Leafs continue to hold contract talks with Laughton and McMann, but are expected to trade them if extensions cannot be reached.
McMann is enjoying a career-best season with 19 goals and 32 points in 58 games.
As for players deeper on the team’s roster, such as Ekman-Larsson or Benoit, it appears the Maple Leafs will need to see their price tag met before dealing them.
“There’s a number of guys, veteran players on this roster, that I think the Leafs would look at under the right circumstances, but they have to be the right ask. They’re not just going to sell other players on the roster for the sake of doing so,” TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston said Thursday.
Benoit, who has five assists in 36 games, is signed through next season at a $1.35 million cap hit. Ekman-Larsson has eight goals and 35 points in 59 games this season and is signed through 2027-28 at a $3.5 million cap hit.
The Maple Leafs will host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in the first four games remaining for the club ahead of the trade deadline.