The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be one of the most active teams -- if not the most -- before the NHL trade deadline and they proved it by leaving out three players from their lineup for their game Wednesday night.
While initially there was a concern that the Leafs were not going to be cautious and let players who are currently on the trade block, just go out there and play Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils, putting them at risk of getting injured and not being able to get traded at all, that is now not happening.
Maple Leafs scratch Laughton, McMann, and Ekman-Larsson for trade-related reasons
The Leafs, according to multiple reports, are going to be scratching all three of center Scott Laughton, winger Bobby McMann, and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Wednesday. This is just hours after head coach Craig Berube said that they were not going to be doing such a thing -- so maybe there's a trade brewing that could happen any minute now.
OEL also being held out. https://t.co/LZX7hBLGH8
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 4, 2026
It's interesting that they are doing this at all, but to leave out all three players screams to the heavens that all three of these players are going to be moved before Friday's trade deadline.
What makes it even more interesting is that the Leafs have apparently set a fairly high bar for their ask in these trades. We're talking about a collection of multiple first-round picks and some good prospects by shipping out all three of Laughton, McMann, and Ekman-Larsson to various teams around the league.
In short, the Leafs are well on their way to re-coup some of the assets that they lost at last year's disastrous trade deadline and improve the future outlook of this team tenfold.
Trade not close, but Leafs being cautious
According to other reports, there is no trade that is coming to fruition Wednesday afternoon and at the time of writing, but the Leafs are just being overly cautious with their trade assets -- which they should be.
As @reporterchris also noted, Bobby McMann is also out tonight for the Leafs. Per team source, I'm told a trade is not yet imminent involving McMann, but they're being cautious. Talks are advanced on him and clearly others.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) March 4, 2026
We'll start to see news slowly trickle in, and potentially during the Leafs' own game against the Devils, but as of right now it's just holding out players because they are going to be moving them.
It is notable that the Leafs also play Thursday night against the New York Rangers, and we have to imagine that if a deal for any of these players is not done by then, they will be scratched for that game as well.