The Toronto Maple Leafs are already looking to move on from Miles Wood, only a couple of months after bringing him in as part of the Matthew Knies blockbuster.
That deal sent Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz and Emil Andrae to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Kirill Marchenko, Elvis Merzlikins and Wood. Of the three players Toronto brought back, all are currently injured.
Marchenko was producing at a high level before getting hurt, piling up 14 points in 14 games. Merzlikins is still working his way back from shoulder surgery, and Wood has been sidelined basically since arriving.
Now Toronto appears to be searching for a way to get Wood out of the picture.
According to David Pagnotta, the Maple Leafs are exploring moves involving some veteran contracts, and Wood is one of the names being floated.
"Dakota Joshua's name's been out there, they’ve been trying to move Miles Wood; they’ve been trying to create additional cap space for next season."
Wood, 31, has not played this season because of injuries. He’s coming off an eight-goal, 14-point season in 2025-26, and while he once put together a strong run with New Jersey - averaging 14 goals and 26 points from 2018-2021 - he hasn’t gotten back to that level since.
The fit in Toronto is shaky at best. He brings speed and some scoring touch, but the Maple Leafs are already crowded in their bottom six, and there isn’t room for him at either the NHL or AHL level.
His $2.5 million contract, which runs through 2028-2029, could become useful if Toronto needs to free up money for a future No. 1 defenseman. The Leafs are going to need all the cap help they can get, and Wood looks like a movable piece.
The catch is obvious: with Wood injured and coming off a rough season, his market value is murky. Toronto probably isn’t getting much back, but even a mid-tier prospect or a middle-of-the-pack draft pick would be better than carrying dead money.
Wood was essentially a salary dump for Columbus, and the Maple Leafs are trying to turn him into the same kind of move. If he can be bundled into another deal and bring back even a little value, that would count as a win.
For now, though, Wood doesn’t have a spot in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs are working to find him a new one. Whether they can pull it off is another matter.
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