The Toronto Maple Leafs could look to shake things up to escape their early-season woes, but don’t count on them selling the farm to do so.
Entering Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Maple Leafs sat outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture with just 18 points while mired in a four-game losing streak.
So, perhaps it’s no surprise that tensions are rising in Toronto.
During the Saturday Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed the situation surrounding the Maple Leafs and how team management might be looking to reverse their fortunes.
“It’s one of those weeks where everybody is sitting there waiting for something to happen,” he said. “So, calling around, this is the best information I can share.
“I don’t think they want to trade futures. I really don’t believe they want to do that. And I include Easton Cowan in that group.”
Already having dealt their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks — both protected — and top prospect Fraser Minten at last year’s deadline, it’s clear the Maple Leafs aren’t rushing to further mortgage their draft capital or pool of young players to supplement this year’s team.
Instead, Toronto is canvassing the NHL to see which players on its active roster may be of interest.
“They want to make hockey trades. Roster for roster,” Friedman explained. “They are exploring what on their roster has value, exactly what that value is, and (if) they can do something that way.”
While it may sound like a player swap may indicate the Maple Leafs are open to a deal from the top of their talent pool — a.k.a the William Nylanders and Auston Matthews of the world — Friedman clarified that the core is not part of trade talks.
“We’re talking about other players on the roster,” he said. “The top core players on the roster? No. But we’re talking other players, who else has value that wouldn’t be part of the big core?”
As far as specific targets go, Friedman downplayed some of the rumours that have been floating around Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson being a potential fit in Toronto.
Playing out the last year of contract with the last-place Flames, Andersson has been a trade candidate for the better part of 2025, with a move seeming destined to happen before the trade deadline.
“Rasmus Andersson, that one will go on until that one goes on,” Friedman said. “But I don’t believe that’s a match for Toronto. They tried last year, (but) they couldn’t do it. I don’t see it, I could be wrong, though.”
With more than three months remaining until the 2026 trade deadline, there is still plenty of time for Toronto to feel out the market. Regardless of what help may be coming externally, the Maple Leafs will need to start stringing together some wins if they want to be in a position to add come March.
