The Toronto Maple Leafs needed to make a splash at the NHL trade deadline. Not as buyers, but as sellers.
The plan was to sell off every possible piece while capitalizing on the exorbitant prices some teams were paying for depth pieces.
But the purported sell-off fell flat. The Maple Leafs were unable to move players like Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Matias Maccelli, Troy Stecher, and even Simon Benoit.
However, it was mostly crickets. The Leafs managed to get a second and a fourth-round pick for Bobby McMann. That was a letdown after the reported asking price for McMann was at least a first.
As for Scott Laughton, the Maple Leafs got a third. That piece could turn into a second. But until that happens, it’s a third.
If it wasn’t for the Nic Roy deal with the Colorado Avalanche, the trade deadline would have been an abject failure for the Maple Leafs. The first-rounder was good enough to rescue some value for Toronto.
But when looking at the balance of the roster, the team is pretty much the same. The shakeup didn’t happen, leaving the team with a bunch of players trying to find their identity with two hands and a flashlight.
Maple Leafs Recouped Some Draft Capital
After years of “going for it,” the Maple Leafs had very little draft capital. That changed on Friday. The Leafs managed to recoup some of that lost capital.
The trade deadline deals yielded a 2027 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 third, fourth, and fifth-round pick.
That’s a total of five picks for three players. It’s worth noting that the 2027 first-rounder, assuming the Avalanche continue to be a dominant team, will be a late-rounder. That would make the pick more like a second-rounder than a first.
In the meantime, the Leafs don’t have a first or second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. There might still be a trade down the line before the draft. So, that could yield a first-rounder. But for now, the Leafs will head into the upcoming draft with six picks spread across rounds three through six.
2026 NHL Draft a Big One for Toronto
Despite not having any high-end picks at the moment, the 2026 NHL Draft could be a big one for the Maple Leafs. The club is actively tanking for the best chance to land the first-overall pick. The Maple Leafs have now lost seven in a row and are looking to lose as much ground as possible.
If everything goes according to plan, the Leafs could be looking to land their first-round pick in the top five. As it stands, the pick belongs to the Boston Bruins. But since said pick is top-five protected, the Leafs could get it back.
If that’s the case, the Toronto Maple Leafs could have a shot at one of the top players in what has been tagged as one of the deepest drafts in years.
It would be quite an interesting twist of fate to see the Maple Leafs land a top-five pick this year. But anything can happen as the New York Islanders proved last season.
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