The Toronto Maple Leafs could be in a rare spot to trade from a position of strength as opposed to need.
For the Anaheim Ducks, the situation could be much different. The Ducks could be looking to move on from 23-year-old Mason McTavish this summer. After a down year in 2025-26, the speculation is that the club could be looking to cut ties with the former third-overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft.
And that’s where the Maple Leafs could make a potentially savvy move.
The Maple Leafs need scoring. There’s no question about it. They also need some more grit and toughness. Throw in some decent size, and McTavish checks off all the boxes. He’s the sort of young forward the Maple Leafs need to further their retool.
So, Toronto could well move a player long-rumored to be on the block. That’s goalie Joseph Woll. The Ducks can afford to part with McTavish, while the Maple Leafs can afford to trade Woll. It’s a seeming win-win for both sides.
Here’s how this deal could go down:
Maple Leafs:
Mason McTavish, F
2027 second-round pick
Ducks get:
Joseph Woll, G
2027 fourth-round pick.
It’s worth pointing out that the Leafs get that second-rounder as they would be taking on McTavish’s full $7 million cap hit for the next four seasons. Meanwhile, the Ducks would actually be saving about half of McTavish’s cap hit when factoring in Woll’s contract for the next two seasons.
Why Ducks Would Pull Trigger on Deal with Maple Leafs
The Ducks, for their part, could be looking to move on from their once-promising forward. His 17 goals in 75 games this season did not sit well with the club, especially when making $7 million per season.
His six points in 10 postseason games weren’t bad, but not quite what the organization would hope from McTavish. As such, moving him to a team like the Maple Leafs, who have cap space and a clear opening in the top six, makes a lot of sense.
In fact, the Ducks could also be looking to shed some cap space, considering they have two huge contracts to sign this offseason in Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. While cap space really won’t be a problem for the Ducks this offseason, Carlsson and Gauthier combined could easily take a massive chunk out of the $38 million in projected cap space for 2026-27.
What to read next:
How McTavish Fits into Toronto’s Lineup
As for the Maple Leafs, McTavish would look good on the second line. A potential combo of McTavish and William Nylander on the second line would be hard to match by opposing teams.
Such a second line would look fantastic running behind a top line of Auston Matthews, Gavin McKenna, and Matthew Knies.
Speaking of Knies, McTavish would offer the Maple Leafs some cover if they decided to trade Knies. The return for Knies, plus the addition of McTavish, could make Toronto a much deeper team next season.
All told, this trade idea is one both teams would do well to explore. The Ducks need goaltending depth, and the Maple Leafs need more scoring and toughness. It’s a rare win-win for everyone involved.
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