Use our rumours form to send us leafs trade rumors.
Text Size Adjuster: 18px
Site last updated: 19:26:01
21 May 2026 18:23:15 What if Jacob Trouba signed a 3-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs worth $4.2 million per season? And since injuries basically ruined the season, Michal Kesselring could get a 2-year contract worth $1.8 million per season.
Then Toronto could trade away 2–3 defensemen. Trouba would play on the first defensive pairing, and Kesselring on the second pairing, so the “extra” defensemen could be traded for, say, a third-line center and a winger for like the second line winger.
21 May 2026 03:40:35
Toronto Sends
• F Matthew Knies ($7.75M - Locked for 5 more years)
• G Joseph Woll ($3.67M)
Philadelphia Sends
• RW Porter Martone ($975K - Rookie ELC)
• Toronto's 2027 1st-Round Pick (Returned)
• D Rasmus Ristolainen ($5.1M - Contract expiring in 2027)
• G Samuel Ersson ($1.45M)
Let's have some fun.
Believable2Unbelievable0
21 May 2026 11:14:16
Interesting one. I don’t think Philly would bite because Martone I think is actually going to be better than Knies and has much better hands, shooting and passing. The First as well even if in the 20 overall range combined with Martone is way to much of an overpay for Knies. Ristolainen and Ersson would be a total crap shoot. Both are injury prone and Ersson would only be coming here as another backup goalie. Philly doesn’t need Woll and he would just be a backup there to Vladar.
The key is Martone. He came on board took 2 games to adapt to his line mates then line mates and then literally dragged the team into the playoffs. He is the real deal.
21 May 2026 00:12:12
I thought I'd share my 2 cents worth of the developments with the Leafs. Obviously most of the recommendations weren't listening to what the top 2 dogs on the team were looking to improve for next year. I think they wanted skill and more toughness. The ideas that I have read on these write ups are way far away from the reality of these expectations. Firstly the Leafs are trying to get back into a win now mode. For the draft I would go with Stenberg he seems to have more of what the team is looking for to make the next move (his exposure to the game has experts trending into that direction and remember the team should go for the best player available to meet the current needs). Going for a D man would make NO sense logical sense since a newly drafted D-man would not be in a win now ready (Schaefer got taken last year).
Matthews didn't get the help he needed this year. He needs a veteran on the wing who offers both toughness, scoring and some skill. I think a guy like Anthony Mantha might fit the bill. Now if the Leafs could acquire Pettersson then hey we have Swedish second line and a solid first line. Now for the 3rd line Traveres, Cowan and another version of Mantha could make up the 3rd line. The fourth line can be made up with what's available. The D is a bit tricky, the team needs to acquire capable players that are not injury prone that hurt the team a lot last year and this only require 2 acquisitions. I think Leafs management should seriously consider bringing Laughton back. He demonstrated that he had strong positive influence with the younger players and that is a definite +++ for the team and he wants to be a Leafs.
Believable0Unbelievable0
21 May 2026 00:12:16
I follow you but then you drop off with the defence and don’t recommend any names or how they will be acquired…..
So basically it’s not really 2 cents because it makes no sense….
Agree2Disagree0
21 May 2026 12:02:13
I agree Golftown. We all know the needs. Give us an idea how you would trade for them? We can’t depend on UFAs this year because the class is slim and the bidders will be many and many as well that are closer than we are to offer being on a Contender for the cup.
Agree2Disagree0
21 May 2026 15:14:24
Suffering,
I agree with your statement on this year’s UFA complement but I believe it will still be very important to any success in next year.
Unless the Leafs, under Chayka, go for a rebuild and trade Matthews, Nylander and Knies they really have nothing to trade that will get us back as contenders.
And I don’t think that is Chayka’s plan or what he was hired to do.
Picking 1st obviously helps for next, McKenna can step in immediately and perform better offensively than most in the bottom6, though they won’t relegate him there.
So I think the Leafs try to sign select UFAs and perhaps get a current NHL player like Simon Nemec for Maccelli and Robertson and maybe Owen Tippett for Joseph Woll.
I understand getting Tuch is very expensive and caution needs to be taken with Darren Raddysh but those two make us instant contenders; at the right price.
Other UFAs I’d be interested in include Logan Stanley, AJ Greer, Jack Roslovic and Anthony Mantha.
Secondary UFA choices and a bit of bargain basement shopping include Riley Tufte, Raphael Lavoie, Ilya Mikheyev and Brett Kulak.
I understand we cannot sign all of them but I do see it as part of the solution, emphasizing the word part!
Agree2Disagree0
21 May 2026 15:37:14
I agree with you, RandySears, there is a lot of logic in you analysis.
20 May 2026 21:15:41
Some idea
''''
Toronto Maple Leafs
Bryan Rust (take first line rw spot.)
Owen Pickering (future top4)
Benjamin Kindell (still mystery card, potential top6-9?)
2027 1st-round pick (Top-5 protected).
Pittsburgh Penguins
William Nylander
Who win who lose long run.
Believable0Unbelievable0
20 May 2026 22:28:33
Pittsburgh is closer to bottoming out for a few seasons. Trading for Nylander would cause more damage to the long term outlook than getting 1 or 2 more playoff runs with Crosby.
Agree0Disagree0
20 May 2026 23:21:08
We could do a lot better than this.
Agree0Disagree0
21 May 2026 11:25:53
Make it a 1st for this year and swap Pickering out and put Brunicke in and we might talk. I like Rust but wonder at his age when the slow down starts. You would have to hope he has another 4 years left so that 1st rounder takes his spot for it to work out. Plus, would Matthew’s be able to adapt to being a playmaker for Rust? If the deal was done I think you put Kindel on Matthew’s right wing as he has a similar playmaking style to Marner and put Rust with Tavares.
But we are still looking for another centreman. Yes, I know Kindel plays Centre and Right Wing but he would better served with Matthew’s if Matthew’s stays.
20 May 2026 20:20:18
Or would Morgan Barron be a better option as a 3C than Sturm? They’re slightly differents players, but if Barron could be acquired for a 3rd-round pick, that would work for me. Barron would bring more offense, while Sturm would bring faceoff ability and penalty kill / defensive reliability.
Believable2Unbelievable0
20 May 2026 20:25:52
JT is your 3C for the foreseeable future. 2C is an absolute must and where the focus needs to be.
Agree2Disagree0
20 May 2026 20:42:12
Even if JT was for some odd reason still the #2, you would want your #3 to be a higher producer than Barron. Ideally you want a minimum 35 points and possibly a little more from your #3.
Agree2Disagree0
20 May 2026 22:29:31
Why not sign Laughton as 3c, his offensive talent was wasted on the 4th line?
Agree2Disagree0
20 May 2026 23:28:19
I love Laughton. I’m an Oakville boy. I watched him grow up, but realistically JT is your best option at 3C. Upgrade the 2C and I agree Scott is better than a fourth liner; he’d be better off with another team.
20 May 2026 20:08:42
Minnesota Wild get
+Max Domi
+Simon Benoit
+Borya Valis
+Luke Haymes
+Cade Webber
+2026 2nd-round pick
Toronto Maple Leafs
+Danila Yurov (future top6)
+Yakov Trenin (hitting machine)
Toronto would add two Russian forwards with existing chemistry, but the third-line center spot would still be open.
Sturm?
Would Nico Sturm be the center who adds excellent faceoff wins and defensive responsiblility?
If yes, I’d look at a straight Nick Robertson (RFA) for Sturm swap.
If Robertson is too high price then Leafs send 3 or 4 round pick to Sturm and keep Robertson.
Believable0Unbelievable0
21 May 2026 00:44:13
How many more times do u need to be told the Leafs are looking for a 2C?
20 May 2026 20:02:13
Tor: Carlo Quilllan
Njd: Hamilton
Tor: Reilly 2nd 2027
Ana: Zellwegar Vatrano
It’s something different, in the first trade it’s the Leafs moving out a player who just didn’t fit well last year for a local guy who the Devils are trying to move. Maybe the Leafs could get something else for taking the whole contract, but Hamilton is big for nothing physically. He can still skate well, moves the puck up the ice, and is a threat from the point.
Second trade Leafs dump Reilly with a 2nd for a young mobile dman and take back a cap dump. Reilly adds the veteran presence. All Anaheim vet D are expiring contracts. Reilly doesn’t have to be 'the guy' here. As for Vatrano, the coach doesn’t like him but he was a 20+ goal guy up until this year. Maybe they can get a depth scorer or flip him.
Believable0Unbelievable0
21 May 2026 00:45:20
I don't see the Ducks trading Zellweger for Reilly and a 2nd, never mind throwing Vatrano in there as well.
Maccelli, 2027 1st (via Col) & Danford for Trocheck. overpay by Leafs IMO, but we need a 2C
Domi & 2026 2nd via Col (from SJ trade listed above) for Kesselring
Woll, Robertson & 2026 4th for Gustavsson
Finally, Leafs select either Carson Carels or Keaten Verhoeff with the Chicago 4th OA selection
Thoughts?
Believable0Unbelievable0
21 May 2026 00:51:25
Rinzel as your 1st pairing right d when he barely played in Chicago this year already tells me this is a mess. No thanks, not to mention bringing Lili back to be a 7th d man at 3.5m over 3 yrs lol.