The Toronto Maple Leafs have been busy this summer. They traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, extended Matthew Knies, and added some grit and jam around the edges with players like Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua.
Heavy.com proposed a deal that would help the Maple Leafs make up for the lost offense of Marner’s departure. They could do that by trading for Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks.
Maple Leafs Acquire:
- Mason McTavish
Ducks Acquire:
- Morgan Rielly
In this proposal, the Maple Leafs add McTavish, the third overall pick in 2021. The 22-year-old, 6-foot-1, 219 lb center can be a top-six addition to the Maple Leafs forward group. He recorded 52 points in 76 games, a new career high.
A top-pairing defender comes to the Ducks with Morgan Rielly. Rielly was the fifth overall selection made by the Maple Leafs in the 2012 draft. The 31-year-old left-handed defender is 6-foot-1, 225 lbs. He is coming off a 41-point 2024-25 regular season where he played all 82 games.
Mason McTavish is a Great Fit With Maple Leafs
McTavish is a desirable player for any NHL team. However, the young forward is an RFA still waiting on a new contract. One NHL insider believes that the time is now for a team to acquire McTavish.
During an appearance on the Sekeres & Price Show in early July, insider Jeff Marek discussed the Ducks and their current situation with McTavish.
“That’s why you’re starting to see the Anaheim Ducks be a little bit more aggressive, to try to make sure they can at least be a Wild Card team in the Western Conference,” Marek said to the hosts. He continued, “It’s probably the most that Mason McTavish has been available.”
If that’s the case, the Maple Leafs can join a few other potential suitors who need a second-line center.
“Start the lineup of teams that are looking for a second-line center, whether it’s Minnesota or Montreal.”
Yes, the Maple Leafs are not on that list. However, there is an excellent opportunity to acquire McTavish, put him on a line with John Tavares, and allow the veteran center to mentor the young forward.
Having two natural centers on the same line isn’t a bad thing; the Edmonton Oilers do it all the time with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Maple Leafs Give Rielly a Fresh Start
Nick Kypreos believes that the Maple Leafs can deal from a position of strength by trading a defender.
“GM Brad Treliving is aiming to give his team a new look next season and change over part of the core,” Kypreos wrote. “Given the blue line is in a good place and forward is where the Leafs have more questions and holes to fill, might they look to flip a blueliner for, ideally, a top-six scorer?”
32 Thoughts Podcast host and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also pondered the same thing in the most recent episode of his podcast.
Rielly is an offensively minded defender with 513 points recorded in his 873-game career. If there is any weakness on the Ducks, it’s on the left side of their blueline.
The Ducks have Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, and Drew Helleson locking up the right side on defense. That leaves 24-year-old Jackson LaCombe, and a trio of 21-year-olds with Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, and Olen Zellweger as the four available lefties.
Adding Rielly gives the Ducks a partner for Trouba. It would push LaCombe to play on the second pairing, with Gudas leaving one of the 21-year-olds to play on the third pairing.
The only thing holding back a deal of this nature is the no-movement clause Rielly has in his contract. If the 31-year-old is willing to waive that to play for Joel Quenneville, then this deal is a win-win for both sides.
The Ducks have $21,388,812 in salary cap space.
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