With the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, the Maple Leafs fall to 10 points out of a playoff spot. The Maple Leafs will likely turn into sellers heading towards the trade deadline on March 6th, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a player who should hit the trade market.
Why would the Maple Leafs trade Ekman-Larsson
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has had an unbelievable season with the Maple Leafs. He has consistently been the Maple Leafs' best defenceman, while having the second-best season of his career with 32 points in the team's first 54 games. Ekman-Larsson is set to represent Team Sweden at the Olympic Games starting within the next two weeks.
Now you may be thinking to yourself, why would the Maple Leafs even think about trading him if they want to retool? Oliver Ekman-Larsson is 34 years of age; he may only have two more productive seasons before he starts to decline. Even next season, it won't be close to the hockey we have seen this season. The Maple Leafs need to take advantage of him now and realize it is time to acquire some younger talent in exchange for Ekman-Larsson.
Value coming back the Maple Leafs way
The Leafs can get a mid-round pick and a prospect for OEL. He is a proven key contributor on a Stanley Cup-contending roster. This was showcased with the Florida Panthers during their 2024 Stanley Cup run. He quarterbacked the power play and played a big role in the leadership group in Florida.
Even if the Maple Leafs don't want to move on from the Swedish defenceman, now would be the right time. In the coming years, it will be much harder to move on from his contract, but if you can get a sizable return for him, they need to do so as soon as possible. With the Maple Leafs potentially selling this deadline, it will be interesting to see who the Leafs move on from and the assets they can bring back in return.