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The Toronto Maple Leafs have reached a point where the results of games matter little, since their chances of making the playoffs for a 10th straight season are minuscule. The only drama in the Leafs matchup against the Ottawa Senators is whether Toronto fans will be classy as they normally are and applaud team captain Auston Matthews when he is acknowledged in his first home game since winning gold as captain of Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina six days ago, or if he is booed by fans who read a has-been columnist in the Toronto Star earlier this week.
The controversy about Matthews visiting the White House and taking photos with US President Donald Trump will fade, but that has not stopped a certain rumor-mongering charlatan from propagating rumors that the Leafs captain is no longer untouchable and could get traded. Those kinds of rumors are totally unfounded and are merely an attempt to draw clicks as the deadline approaches.
Rumors that are based in reality are those that involve pending free agent wingers Bobby McMann, Calle Jarnkrok, center Scott Laughton, and defenseman Troy Stecher, and players with term on their deals, such as forwards Max Domi, Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli, defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Carlo, and Simon Benoit, and goalie Anthony Stolarz.
Over the next six days, we will be looking at the rumors being floated out there and analyzing their validity and the quality of the return to Toronto.
Bowman Looking To Get Bailed Out
One rumor reported by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos was that the Edmonton Oilers were prepared to send winger Andrew Mangiapane to the Leafs for Maccelli. The Leafs were not interested in the exchange. Even if GM Brad Treliving was interested in acquiring the former Flames forward, the reason this deal makes little sense is that it is widely known that Oilers GM Stan Bowman is looking to jettison the Toronto native who has a full no-trade clause and has been largely ineffective in Edmonton (14 points in 51 games).
To make matters worse for Bowman, Mangiapane has another year left on his deal at $3.6 million, while Maccelli is an RFA this summer and makes slightly less ($3.425 million) this season. Toronto may be interested in Mangiapane, but Treliving should not do Bowman any favors. If the Leafs are having to take back Mangiapane’s deal as part of a trade for McMann, Roy, OEL, or Maccelli, they should be getting compensated in the form of a draft pick or getting a pick in a higher round in the trade.
The Price For Ekman-Larsson Should Be High
Frank Seravalli and TSN’s Darren Dreger have reported chatter regarding Ekman-Larsson. Seravalli specifically reported that the Oilers are interested in the 34-year-old, who has been Toronto’s most consistent defender this season, and is an attractive get at a $3.5 million AAV and with two more years left on his contract. OEL has a 16-team no-trade, and there are reports that he does not want to leave Toronto because his wife is days away from having a baby, but that has not stopped the rumors from percolating.
There is no rush when it comes to trading Ekman-Larsson. With term remaining on his deal, the Leafs need to get overpaid in a deal before the deadline, otherwise they could wait till the summer to make a trade. If it is the Oilers, a trade would have to include either their 2027 first-round pick, or young forward prospects Isaac Howard or Matthew Savoie, and if the deal included Mangiapane for cap reasons, then either an additional pick or prospect would have to be included.
The Leafs made a lineup change for Saturday’s contest, inserting rookie Easton Cowan on the third line with McMann and Roy. The game will be the first time that the 20-year-old will play in a month, a decision that is both puzzling and questionable.
