The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the best defenses in the NHL, but could trade from an area of strength to get a top-six forward.
The Maple Leafs have eight NHL defenseman under contract, so Toronto could look to trade away one of them. Although Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo’s names have come up in trade talks, Toronto should look to trade another defenseman.
The defenseman the Maple Leafs should look to trade is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who played well in his first year in Toronto.
However, Ekman-Larsson is earning just $3.5 million per season, as he’s in the second year of a four-year, $14 million deal. Last season, he proved he can be a top-four defenseman in the NHL again. Given that defense is also an area of need for contending teams, the Maple Leafs should be able to sell high on him.
Toronto could look to trade Ekman-Larsson to another playoff-bound team for a top-six winger. A pure 1-for-1 hockey trade makes sense for the Maple Leafs to trade from an area of strength for an area of need, and spread out their depth to different positions.
Ekman-Larsson recorded 4 goals and 25 assists for 29 points in 77 games. In the playoffs, he had 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in 13 games.
What Could the Maple Leafs Get for Ekman-Larsson?
If Toronto does trade Ekman-Larsson, a second-line winger would be a good target.
The Maple Leafs have a need for a second-line left winger or a right winger to help replace the void of Mitch Marner. Toronto did acquire Mattias Maccelli, who could play on the top line, but adding another top-six winger to the fold makes a lot of sense.
Although Toronto may have to add a draft pick or fringe prospect to the deal, Ekman-Larsson for a top-six winger is likely a good starting point.
Ekman-Larsson can help run a team’s second power-play and add some offense to the back end. He would also be a leader as he helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Ultimately, if the Maple Leafs can make a swap of Ekman-Larsson for a scoring winger, Toronto needs to sell high on the former 34-year-old who was drafted ninth overall in 2009.
Maple Leafs GM Feels Confident in His D-Core
Although Ekman-Larsson is supposed to be a pivotal part of the Maple Leafs’ roster, he could be used as a trade chip.
The Maple Leafs’ blue line features the likes of Morgan Rielly, Carlo, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit, Henry Thrun, and Philippe Myers, which could make Ekman-Larsson expendable.
Meanwhile, Maple Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving says he likes the blue line and what they brought to the team.
“In today’s game, I like the length of our defense, I like the makeup of our defense. We’ve still got to be able to get out of our own end,” Treliving said. “There are things we can do in terms of closing quicker and taking away space… We need to get more offense from our defense. But in terms of personnel, we’ll see. I like the D-corps, but we can’t be rigid.”
But, with the Maple Leafs needing another top-six forward, trading an NHL defenseman is the easiest way to acquire one.
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