The Toronto Maple Leafs have an undesirable pickle on their hands. Despite the short-term uncertainty surrounding Joseph Woll, they have secured their starting netminder for the next several years. One of the final pieces needed for them to push past the second round of the playoffs.
Heavy.com has proposed a trade that sees the Maple Leafs add 46-goal superstar forward Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars.
Maple Leafs Acquire:
- Jason Robertson ($ 7.75 million)
Stars Acquire:
- Matias Maccelli ($ 3.425 million)
- Easton Cowan($ 873,500)
- Conditional 3rd-round 2026 Pick
- 2028 2nd-round pick
This would be a massive trade for both teams. The Maple Leafs acquire a superstar forward who can provide the offense lost from Mitch Marner‘s departure. The Stars add two great young players and some important draft capital.
This trade proposal sees the Maple Leafs add Robertson, 26, who is a superstar in his own right. The older Robertson brother was drafted in 2017, 39th overall. The 6-foot-3, 207 lb forward is coming off another 80-point season in 2024-25. He’s three years removed from a 46-goal, 109-point season in 2022-23.
In return, the Stars would acquire Matias Maccelli. Maccelli, 24, was initially drafted 98th overall in 2019 by the Arizona Coyotes. The 5-foot-11, 185 lb forward recorded 18 points in 55 games last year.
The Star would also acquire blue-chip prospect Easton Cowan. Cowan, 20, was initially drafted by the Maple Leafs in 2023. The 6-foot, 185 lb forward prospect recorded 69 goals in 46 games for the OHL’s London Knights.
This proposal also includes a conditional 3rd-round pick in 2026. That pick would become a 2nd-round pick in 2027 if the Maple Leafs make it to the Eastern Conference Final.
Maple Leafs Need to do Right by Cowan
GettyIs a superstar acquisition worth giving up Easton Cowan?
One of the biggest motivating factors behind a trade of this nature is Cowan’s development. Given a player of his talent, he should not be playing bottom-six minutes, regardless of how successful he is at taking that assignment.
Former head coach Bruce Boudreau would rather see Cowan play big minutes in the AHL instead of being exiled to the fourth line.
“One of the rules that Bob Murray (taught)…he was great at saying, if you weren’t going to play 12 minutes in the NHL on a game-to-game basis, you’re going down to the minors,” Boudreau told the hosts of Leafs Morning Take. “You’re going to develop down there by playing 17 minutes plus. You’re not sitting on the bench.”
“Usually (with) fourth lines, if the game is close, you’re playing eight minutes or less.”
Players get better by getting more experience, and the best way to get more experience is to play more. If Cowan is playing 8-10 minutes a night, that’s not going to help him grow as a player. If there is any team in the NHL that has demonstrated how to develop young players with NHL minutes, it’s the Stars.
Jason Robertson Gives Maple Leafs Goal-Scoring They Need
GettyJason Robertson
The 26-year-old has put the puck in the net 168 times in his five-year career. Additionally, Robertson could be the superstar that the Maple Leafs trust to fill Marner’s skates.
In 2024-25, Robertson finished with 35 goals, 45 assists, and 80 points while averaging 17:48 per game. If he had played for the Maple Leafs last year, he’d be near the top of every one of those categories.
Robertson would have been second in points, tied for first in assists, and third in goals. This is impressive, especially considering that a 100-point season is not out of the question for him.
One way or another, the Maple Leafs would be a much better team with Robertson in the fold. That is more than enough motivation to pull off a deal like this.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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