NHL Trade Talk Recap: Maple Leafs Shakeup, Pen guins Plan, Oilers and DeBoer

There was a lot of news about where different organizations stand on very different sides of the stability spectrum. With the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins looking at where they will stand going forward, the Edmonton Oilers could bring in a new coach sooner rather than later.

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Insiders report that no one in Leafs land feels safe, from players to coaches to management. This will be an interesting offseason in Toronto. The Penguins did not trade Erik Karlsson at this year’s trade deadline, which sends a clear message to Pittsburgh’s defence core going forward. A recent pitch for the Oilers to replace their current Head Coach with a familiar face sooner rather than later rounds out the top stories on Tuesday, March 24.

Nobody Is Feeling Safe In Toronto

The Maple Leafs have had a horrible year by their recent standards and by anyone’s standards, for that matter. This has left the organization in a spot that it hasn’t been in nearly a decade, with uncertainty and pressure running rampant.  Chris Johnston, who was a guest on FirstUp 1050, said that the Maple Leafs will let these final 11 games play out before letting the dominoes fall.

He also added that “nobody would be feeling safe right now with this organization.” From players to coaches to management, there is a sense that no one is safe after this season. The team began the season with lofty expectations and was looking to compete for the Stanley Cup. There was always going to be a drop-off following the loss of Star forward Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights this offseason. No one could have foreseen the fall from grace that actually occurred; the Leafs find themselves in the bottom ten in the league and playing their worst hockey of the season. The team has felt disconnected at times, with management and coaching staff seeming disjointed and not on the same page. One clear thing: changes will be made, and the only real question is which ones and how many.

Nobody “Feeling Safe” in Maple Leafs House of Cards

Pens’ Decision on Karlsson, Set a Clear Path

Kyle Dubas set a clear expectation for his Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason when sai he was not actively looking to trade defenseman Erik Karlsson. There were months of speculation following the defender’s future, but it is clear that the Pens remain committed to keeping their star.

It was a rocky start to Karlsson’s tenure with the Penguins, as he struggled to find his form in his first season with the team. But he has found another gear this season, and that could be thanks to a new system with Dan Muse. Muse, who took over as coach, and he have looked better in all three zones. Karlsson’s success is key to the team, especially with a  $10 million cap hit expectation will be especially high. One of the main reasons that this decision was made was to keep Karlsson due to the rest of the veteran core. The penguins owe it to their aging core to attempt to stay competitive. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang remain productive, and as long as they do, there is no reason to undermine that.

Penguins Not Trading Erik Karlsson: What It Means for Pittsburgh

The Oilers Might Be in The Market For a New Coach

The Spotlight has been on Kris Knoblauch and the Oilers for much of the season, and Connor McDavid’s recent comments certainly did not help. Follwing back to back Stanley Cup runs, this season’s Oilers team has left a lot to be desired.

With the Oilers only having 10 games remaining on their schedule until the playoffs (they have a 76.4% chance of making it), it feels like it might be too late to make a coaching change. One recent article thinks otherwise, pitching it as just what the Oilers need to get over the hump. Michael Traikos made his case for why Edmonton should get ahead of things and consider replacing Knoblauch with Peter DeBoer.

He also added that they should not do this in the offseason and should get it done sooner rather than later. He adds that DeBoer will be in high demand this summer, and it might be too late if they wait until then to replace Knoblauch. It certainly would set a harsh precedent in the league, but for a team that has come up short twice, maybe something shocking is just what they need. DeBoer, last coached the Dallas Stars and was relieved of his duties after a second consecutive loss to the Oilers in the Western Conference Finals in 2024-25.

Oilers Pitched to Consider Bringing In Peter DeBoer This Season

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