As the Toronto Maple Leafs enter the second half of the 2024-25 NHL season, they will be looking at specific needs to bolster their roster ahead of the trade deadline for the Stanley Cup playoff run.
Whether the Toronto Maple Leafs need another center, a solid two-way defenseman, a star difference maker, or any combination of those, anything that could finally put them over the top once and for all will be their main goal in the coming weeks.
But in order for the Maple Leafs to put themselves in the right position to be successful going forward, they will likely need to move on from some of their players to get it done. Whether it be a trusted veteran or a promising prospect, their potential spot in the organization could be on the line.
As a result, let’s take a look at 5 Leafs players that should be gone by the time the NHL trade deadline rolls around.
5 Toronto Maple Leafs Players That Should Be Gone by the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline
F Calle Jarnkrok
When the Maple Leafs signed Calle Jarnkrok to a four-year, $8.4 million contract back in the 2022 offseason, he seemed like a steal for Toronto at the time. After all, in his first season with the Leafs, Jarnkrok managed to post career highs in goals with 20 and points with 39, while tying his career high in assists with 19. More importantly, he was being deployed in various roles and situations, whether it be in the top-six, bottom-six, on the power play or penalty kill. The key though was the fact that he performed admirably through it all in the process.
For his second season with Toronto though, Jarnkrok’s numbers dropped off a bit, including going pointless during the playoffs when the Leafs needed him most. Not only that, he was hampered by injuries that limited him to just 52 games played in total for his 2023-24 campaign.
This year, it has been even worse as Jarnkrok has been sidelined since the start of the season with a lower-body injury. Recently, things may be looking up for him as he has finally begun skating. However, even if Jarnkrok is ready by February or March, it will likely take him a while to get back up to game speed and to be ready enough for the gruelling playoffs in April.
The Leafs have already shown that they can win without Jarnkrok so far this season. With a cap hit of $2.1 million per season, the Leafs could really use that amount to make significant moves at the deadline instead. Therefore, as much as it will hurt to lose a versatile player like Jarnkrok, due to the current makeup of the team,trading him might be the most beneficial option for the Leafs going forward.