As the NHL trade deadline inches closer, the Minnesota Wild find themselves in a familiar position-looking to bolster their roster for a playoff push. While the team’s most glaring need is depth down the middle or on the wings, the challenge lies in how they get there.
After going all-in on the Quinn Hughes deal, the Wild’s asset cupboard isn’t exactly overflowing. That makes a blockbuster move for a high-end name like Nico Hischier, Ryan O’Reilly, Vincent Trocheck, or Artemi Panarin a tough needle to thread-at least without sacrificing key pieces like Danila Yurov or Jesper Wallstedt, who are already playing crucial roles or projected to do so soon.
But not every move has to be a headline-grabber. There are still ways to add meaningful depth without mortgaging the future. And if Minnesota is looking for a trade partner to help thread that needle, the Toronto Maple Leafs might be the team to call.
Let’s talk about Toronto for a second. This season has been a mess.
The Leafs are 2-6-2 in their last ten games and currently sit tied for last in the Atlantic Division. For a team that’s spent years trying to break through in the playoffs, this regular-season collapse is unfamiliar territory.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs are inching toward seller territory-and if that happens, Wild GM Bill Guerin should be one of the first to pick up the phone.
Two names on Toronto’s roster stand out as potential fits in Minnesota: Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy.
Scott Laughton: Grit, Experience, and Defensive Reliability
Laughton is a 31-year-old center in the final year of a $3 million AAV deal. He’s not flashy, and his advanced stats won’t blow you away-his Corsi-for sits at 35%, and his expected goals percentage is just 37.5% this season.
But context matters, and Laughton plays in some of the toughest situations imaginable. He logs over two minutes per game on the penalty kill and starts just 3.2% of his shifts in the offensive zone-eighth-lowest in the league among players with 100+ minutes.
In other words, he’s not being put in positions to rack up points-he’s being asked to do the dirty work. And he’s doing it well.
Despite the tough deployment, Laughton has chipped in eight goals this season and has hovered around a half-point-per-game pace for the last four years. He’s also winning 56.9% of his faceoffs, a key stat for a team like Minnesota that values possession and structure. When he does get to play 5-on-5 hockey in more neutral situations, his expected goals-for percentage climbs to a more respectable 47.7%.
Laughton brings the kind of edge and reliability that playoff teams crave. He finishes checks, plays responsibly in his own end, and can chip in offensively. As a potential third-line center for the Wild, he’d be a seamless fit-especially in a playoff series where matchups and depth often decide outcomes.
Nicolas Roy: Size, Skill, and Playoff Pedigree
Then there’s Nicolas Roy, who offers a slightly different flavor. Also on a $3 million AAV deal, Roy has one more year of term left, giving any acquiring team a little more runway.
Like Laughton, Roy is a defense-first center who’s often deployed in tough matchups and on the penalty kill. His faceoff win rate this year?
A solid 53.5%.
But where Roy separates himself is in his offensive game. He’s more of a playmaker than Laughton, with 14 of his 19 points this season coming via assists.
At 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, Roy is a load to handle down low. He protects the puck well, sees the ice with patience, and brings a level of poise that teams covet in the postseason.
And speaking of the postseason-Roy has been there. A lot.
He’s played in 79 playoff games, racking up 32 points, including a memorable 2022-23 run with Vegas that ended in a Stanley Cup. That kind of experience matters, especially for a Wild team that’s trying to take the next step.
What Would It Cost?
Of course, trades don’t happen in a vacuum. The Wild need to have something Toronto wants, and that’s where things get interesting.
The Leafs have spent years pushing chips in to chase a Cup. As a result, their prospect pool and draft capital are thin.
That makes NHL-ready or near-ready prospects especially valuable to them. Toronto isn’t looking to tear it all down-they’re still built around stars like Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
They need to retool, not rebuild.
So who could the Wild offer? A player like David Jiricek or Carson Lambos could pique Toronto’s interest.
Or perhaps another high-upside prospect who’s knocking on the NHL door. The key is finding a deal that adds value for both sides without requiring Minnesota to part with foundational pieces like Yurov or Wallstedt.
As for price points, there’s some precedent. When the Leafs acquired Laughton last season-along with a fourth- and sixth-round pick-they gave up a first-rounder and a solid prospect in Nikita Grebenkin.
That deal came with a year and a half of control, so the price might be slightly lower now. Roy’s value is a bit harder to pin down, especially since he was part of the Mitch Marner trade, which carried its own unique circumstances.
But given the similarities in usage and role, it’s fair to assume their trade values are in the same ballpark.
The Bottom Line
Whether it’s Scott Laughton, Nicolas Roy, or someone else entirely, the Wild have options. And with the Maple Leafs potentially entering seller mode, there’s a real opportunity for Minnesota to add meaningful depth without sacrificing the core of what’s made them competitive this season.
These aren’t splashy moves, but they’re the kind of additions that can make a difference in April and May. Laughton and Roy both bring a blend of grit, experience, and two-way reliability that would slot in perfectly on a team looking to make noise in the playoffs.
Bill Guerin has some decisions to make-but if he’s looking to strengthen the Wild down the middle without blowing up the future, the Leafs might just be the team to help him do it.