The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are in a bit of a similar situation. Both clubs have generational talents that have grown weary of the lack of playoff success.
Of course, we’re talking about Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. Before going any further, McDavid can at least say he’s been to the Stanley Cup Final twice and has a Conn Smythe Trophy as a consolation prize.
Matthews, on the other hand, can always cry into his Olympic gold medal if he ever gets down about not making it past the second round.
That said, the time may be coming for both stars to get a fresh start. Such a conversation is common among prospects who’ve hit a developmental wall. For one reason or another, their progress has stalled to the point where they are no longer making the next level.
While that situation is a bit uncommon for established stars, it’s not completely ludicrous, either. We know where the Leafs stand with Matthews. The team is heading towards a “retool” and, well, there’s no guarantee that Matthews will stay.
As for McDavid, the possibility of a playoff miss this season is very much there. While the Oilers seem locked into one of the top three seeds in the Pacific Division, nothing is written in stone yet.
Even if the Oilers make the postseason, anything short of a Cup will not suffice. At worst, a first-round exit could unleash the pits of hell on The Oil.
With both the Oilers and Leafs heading into a death spiral, would a hockey trade, a 1-for-1, McDavid-for-Matthews trade make sense for all sides?
Both McDavid and Matthews have two years left on their current deals. Technically, McDavid is in the final year of his current contract and will have a two-year extension kick in this summer.
While Matthews’ cap hit is about $1 million higher than McDavid's, the math would work easily for both teams.
But is such a trade actually realistic? That’s a conversation for the ages.
McDavid and Matthews have full no-trade clauses
The biggest hitch beyond both GMs having the guts to pull off this trade is the fact that McDavid and Matthews have full no-trade clauses.
Now, you could see McDavid, who’s from Southern Ontario, waiving his no-trade clause to head to Toronto. He would instantly take over the NHL’s largest market. But why would he? He has a much better supporting cast in Edmonton. In Toronto, he wouldn’t have Leon Draisaitl. While a McDavid-Nylander combo would be an insane duo, the chances of McDavid winning in Toronto are even lower than in Edmonton.
As for Matthews, there is some familiarity with The Oil. Zach Hyman, who was once a close friend of Matthews’, is there. Also, Matthews would find a more mild-mannered coach in Kris Knoblauch. Matthews would find a better supporting cast around him. In fact, it wouldn’t be crazy to see the Oilers name Draisaitl captain, allowing the current Leafs captain to hang back for a while.
The appeal of getting out of the Toronto media fishbowl would certainly be appealing to Matthews. Getting that pressure off his back for a while wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for the 28-year-old.
Ultimately, this deal would be akin to pushing the red button. It would be the equivalent of two nuclear nations exchanging missiles targeting their capitals. But it may be a last resort for two organizations looking to avoid a death spiral into a painful rebuild.