Signs Point to Oilers–Maple Leafs Trade Before the Deadline?

The Edmonton Oilers host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night at Rogers Place as both teams look to finish strong ahead of the upcoming three-week Olympic break—at least for those not heading to Milan to play in the tournament.

While the two teams won’t meet again in 2025–26, that won’t stop them from being linked moving forward, especially as the March 6 NHL trade deadline approaches.

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Edmonton is searching for a top-nine forward and potential help on defense, while Toronto seems ready to sell and could provide the Oilers exactly what they need. As a result, trade rumors involving two clubs have been flying in recent weeks. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the players GMs Stan Bowman and Brad Treliving could be discussing over the next month.

Which Oilers and Maple Leafs Could Be in Play?

It all begins with pending UFA Bobby McMann, who Edmonton is reportedly very interested in acquiring. His straight-line, power-forward game would add an element of size, speed, and finishing ability that the middle of their lineup is lacking. The Wainwright, Alberta native won’t come cheap, though perhaps a second-round pick plus a little something extra could get a deal across the finish line.

Aside from McMann, most of the talk around a potential Edmonton–Toronto trade has centered on the blue line, with Brandon Carlo, Jake McCabe, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson all being connected to the Oilers in some fashion, given that they’re likely available for the right offer.

Reports have been conflicting on whether Bowman truly has any interest in Carlo, who has struggled during his time as a Maple Leaf. On the flip side, McCabe and Ekman-Larsson would garner more attention as Edmonton continues to search for a Mattias Ekholm–type defenseman.

Including one of those blueliners along with McMann would undoubtedly raise Treliving’s asking price in any return package, and it remains unclear whether Bowman would be willing to pony up to that level. If the two sides were able to meet in the middle on a multi-player deal, Andrew Mangiapane and his $3.6 million cap hit would almost certainly have to be included, reuniting with Treliving, going back to their Calgary days.

A bigger deal like that is far less likely to happen, however, given all the smoke around Edmonton’s interest in McMann, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the framework of a trade expand. Either way, there certainly appears to be something brewing between the Oilers and Maple Leafs, so don’t be surprised if a few players from Tuesday night’s game are wearing the opposite jersey once the trade deadline comes and goes.

Next: Might Jarry’s Comments Lead to a Trade Between Oilers and Maple Leafs?