Maple Leafs Disappointed After Missing Out on Key Trade Target

The Toronto Maple Leafs were reportedly in the mix to acquire Mason Marchment this past week but came away empty-handed. Marchment went to Seattle, in what was learned to be a cap dump trade by the Dallas Stars and a favor to trade the forward to a no-tax state franchise. Reports are that the Maple Leafs were left disappointed.

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According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, in his latest 32 Thoughts column, the Leafs had serious interest in bringing Marchment back into the fold. “The Maple Leafs wanted Mason Marchment, and were disappointed not to get him,” Friedman wrote.

Marchment, 29, is a gritty, hard-nosed forward with the ability to put up goals. Steve Dangle went so far as to say Marchment might be the one that got away.

Originally signed by the Leafs as an undrafted free agent, Marchment spent time developing with the Marlies before being traded to Florida in 2020. Since then, he has carved out a valuable role as a power forward, most recently with the Dallas Stars.

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The Leafs’ pursuit of Marchment also comes amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Mitch Marner’s future. GM Brad Treliving mentioned in his end-of-season availability that he was looking to make changes to the team’s DNA, and Marchment would have fit what Treliving was looking to do.

Where Does This Leave the Maple Leafs?

While Friedman floated the idea of Toronto potentially trading a defenceman to acquire a forward should Marner be moved, the Marchment miss highlights how targeted the team’s search for the right forward pieces has become.

Time will tell if Marchment becomes a missed opportunity, but it sounds like the Leafs were never really in the mix. If Stars’ GM Jim Nill was only willing to trade Marchment to a team with no state tax, Toronto wasn’t on the list.

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