Could Maple Leafs Gamble on the Talent of Elias Pettersson This Summer?

The Toronto Maple Leafs still have 17 games left to play this season, but everyone — especially the fans — is already looking toward the offseason, which will be pivotal in shaping the future of the franchise.

Major questions need to be asked and answered regarding the core of the team, particularly whether they will continue to build around superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander. As long as they’re intent on staying, then it’s about getting bold and creative to shake things up around them.

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However, that’s far easier said than done in today’s NHL, especially with the upcoming free-agent class having taken a major hit over the last year. Because of that, the Maple Leafs will very likely need to dip into the trade market to upgrade/reshape their roster, and one potential option that’s starting to get tossed around is Elias Pettersson.

Analyst Nick Alberga recently floated the idea on X (formerly Twitter).

“I’m an Alex Tuch re-signing away from suggesting that the Leafs trade for Elias Pettersson,”

Several Toronto fan accounts have also speculated about the possibility, including one who wondered whether sending Morgan Rielly back the other way to the Vancouver Canucks could work as a change-of-scenery move for both players, who appear in need of one.

The 27-year-old Pettersson is in year two of the eight-year, $92.8 million extension he signed with the Canucks back in 2024, which includes a full no-movement clause throughout. He’s had another rough season offensively, with 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) produced across 56 games played, currently mired in an 18-game goalless drought.

Elias Pettersson to the Maple Leafs?

Pettersson is one of the more polarizing players in the league right now, and taking a flier on him in a trade would undoubtedly come with a lot of risk. His $11.6 million cap hit would be extremely tough to swallow for any team looking to acquire him, especially given his body of work since signing it.

On the flip side, a team like the Maple Leafs has to think outside the box if they want this to be a quick retool, and that’s exactly what trading for Pettersson would be. Before these two years of struggles, Pettersson had proven to be one of the best players in the world, capable of producing not just point-per-game numbers but 100+ points (102 points in 2022–23).

Things have deteriorated rather quickly on and off the ice for him in Vancouver, but a fresh start on a team full of high-end talent could bring out the four-time All-Star that we know is in him. Pettersson is still right in the prime of his career; he shouldn’t have all the sudden lost his abilities. It would be a high-risk gamble with the potential for high reward.

This season has shown that Toronto desperately needs more talent, so why not take a shot on one of the more talented players in the game and acquire him while his value is at its lowest point? They will have the cap space to pull it off this summer, so it’s at the very least an interesting option worth exploring for the Maple Leafs.

Next: Insider Says Maple Leafs Are Open to the Idea of Trading William Nylander