The Toronto Maple Leafs might be gearing up for a major shakeup as their playoff hopes continue to fade. What started as whispers has grown into serious talk around the NHL that the Leafs could become sellers at the trade deadline.
And we’re not just talking about moving a few obvious players.
Bobby McMann is drawing the most attention from other teams. He’s having a breakout year, on track to score 25 goals, and his speed makes him exactly what playoff contenders are looking for. Plus, his contract won’t break anyone’s bank.
"McMann would surely draw some interest," notes Jonas Siegel of The Athletic.
The team’s other soon-to-be free agents – Scott Laughton, Calle Järnkrok, and Troy Stecher – might also be packing their bags. Though Toronto won’t get back what they paid for Laughton, they’ll likely try to get something rather than nothing.
But here’s where things get really interesting.
The Leafs might not stop there. They’re apparently willing to listen to offers on players who still have time left on their contracts, including Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, and Brandon Carlo.
Even young talents Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli could be available.
In fact, the list of players the Leafs won’t trade might be surprisingly short. According to Siegel, it might only include Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies – and even that’s not set in stone.
The team could try to keep some of their pending free agents around with new contracts, but those decisions might wait until summer. Right now, it’s looking more and more like the Leafs are ready to make some big changes.
