The Toronto Maple Leafs are staring down a pivotal stretch as they head into the Olympic break. With a turbulent 2025-26 campaign leaving them six points shy of a wild-card spot, the front office is facing some tough decisions.
Buy? Sell?
Maybe a bit of both? All options are on the table, and the trade market could be the key to unlocking whatever direction they choose.
There’s already buzz around some of Toronto’s own pending unrestricted free agents-Bobby McMann’s name, in particular, has been making the rounds. But the Leafs aren’t just fielding calls-they’re making them, too.
And they’re not just looking at rentals. The front office is reportedly eyeing players with term, and one name that’s gained traction is Jordan Kyrou.
But there’s another intriguing option who might be within reach: Travis Konecny.
Though he wasn’t officially listed on Nick Kypreos’s most recent trade board, the veteran insider made a point to flag Konecny as a name to watch if Flyers GM Daniel Brière decides to shake things up. According to Kypreos, Philadelphia could be open to making a splash-if not now, then certainly this summer. And if that happens, Konecny and Owen Tippett are the two players most likely to headline any blockbuster.
Konecny, 28, is in the midst of another strong season, with 22 goals and 32 assists through 55 games-a 54-point pace that continues a four-year trend of near point-per-game production. That’s not just solid; that’s consistency at a high level, especially when you consider he’s been carrying much of the offensive load on a Flyers team that hasn’t exactly been overflowing with elite talent. And he’s doing it in the first year of a hefty eight-year, $70 million extension signed in 2024.
So why does Konecny make sense for Toronto? Let’s start with the obvious: the Leafs are still trying to fill the Mitch Marner-sized hole in their top six.
While Konecny isn’t a one-for-one replacement stylistically, that’s part of the appeal. He brings something different-something this team sorely lacks.
He plays with bite. He’s relentless on the forecheck.
He’s the kind of player who can stir things up and still bury 30 goals. That edge, paired with his scoring touch, would bring a new dimension to a Leafs forward group that often leans on finesse.
And then there’s the hometown angle. Konecny, a native of London, Ontario, has made no secret of his frustration with the Flyers’ playoff drought. A move to Toronto wouldn’t just give him a shot at postseason hockey-it would bring him home, where he’d join forces with Auston Matthews and William Nylander in a top-heavy core that’s still in win-now mode.
Of course, a player like Konecny doesn’t come cheap. With term on his deal and production to match, the Flyers would be in a position to demand a premium.
That likely means parting with a top prospect-maybe even two. Easton Cowan and Ben Danford are names that would come up quickly in those conversations.
And don’t be surprised if Philadelphia asks for goaltending help in return. Anthony Stolarz or Dennis Hildeby could be part of a package, especially given the Flyers’ ongoing need in the crease.
That’s a steep price, no doubt. But context matters.
GM Brad Treliving isn’t operating with unlimited runway. The pressure to make something happen-and soon-is real.
If the Leafs want to remain competitive in the Matthews-Nylander window, bold moves are going to be necessary. And acquiring a player like Konecny, who’s not only productive but plays with the kind of edge Toronto’s been missing, could be the kind of swing that shifts the narrative.
The Leafs have spent years flirting with contention. If they want to get serious about it, this is the kind of deal that demands real consideration.