Maple Leafs Appear Set for Seismic Shift, Including a Sign-and-Trade?

As the July 1 free agency period nears, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos offered a comprehensive rundown on the most prominent names out there in the NHL trade rumor mill. He covered all the speculation from every team, but there was a heavy emphasis on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who appear poised for a seismic shift. He referenced the Maple Leafs several times, both in plans to move on from players and in discussions about who they might be targeting.

And, it likely all begins with Mitch Marner’s departure.

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Marner Is Going to Be Popular on July 1

Kypreos writes that multiple teams are preparing significant offers in anticipation of Marner hitting the open market in a few days. A sign-and-trade remains a viable option, even if complicated. For the Leafs, a sign-and-trade would allow them to recoup a meaningful return before losing the star winger outright, while also giving the acquiring team the benefit of securing Marner for a maximum eight-year term.

A growing number of contenders—including the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars—are reportedly preparing to pursue Marner, with cap-clearing moves already being discussed in some front offices. In Dallas, it might be Jason Robertson on the move. In Vegas, Kypreos specifically mentioned using either William Karlsson or Tomas Hertl as a piece going the other way.

Kypreos suggested the Leafs are prioritizing finding a No. 2 center, which makes Karlsson an intriguing possibility.

Should a sign-and-trade not happen, general manager Brad Treliving is expected to look at both the trade and free agent markets to find a suitable replacement for Marner.

Changes On Defense for the Maple Leafs?

There is also some internal conversation about the future of longtime Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. Though Rielly has five years left on his contract with a full no-movement clause, a trade could be considered if all sides agree that it’s time for a fresh start. He carries a cap hit of $7.5 million.

Moving Marner and Rielly opens up a ton of cap space for Toronto. What would they do with it?

With talk that the Leafs want to change their DNA, some fingers are pointing in the direction of Aaron Ekblad. He wants to stay with the Florida Panthers, but there may not be room to sign all of Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand. Frank Seravalli recently remarked, “I think everyone has spent a lot of time wondering what Aaron Ekblad would look like in a Toronto Maple Leafs uniform.”

If not Ekblad, Kypreos suggests the Maple Leafs remain a team to watch in the Rasmus Andersson trade market. While Andersson is entering the final year of his contract with the Calgary Flames and could test unrestricted free agency next summer, the Leafs had previously shown interest in acquiring the top-pairing right-shot defenceman at the trade deadline.

Whether it’s Marner, Rielly, and/ or John Tavares who go, there could be significant changes coming to the Maple Leafs.

Next: What to Expect From Oilers After Evander Kane Trade