Erik Karlsson’s name is already out there in Toronto, and one NHL insider thinks the path could actually exist.
Elliotte Friedman said he has heard from a source that sees Karlsson landing with the Maple Leafs as a real possibility, and he tied it to how the next season plays out for both Pittsburgh and Toronto. “Depending on how both teams’ seasons go, my prediction is that Erik Karlsson becomes a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
Friedman also pointed out that when Kyle Dubas was running the Leafs, he once tried to trade for Karlsson. “So he’s always liked him.”
The timing matters. Karlsson is coming off a big year, and Friedman said if he repeats that kind of season in 2025-26, he does not see Pittsburgh moving him at all.
But this is also the final year of his current contract, and the Penguins are expected to be a bubble team again. That opens the door for a rental situation if the season goes sideways.
Karlsson’s no-move clause is still part of the equation, but Friedman said that if things reach the point where he’s available, Toronto would be the destination he’d choose: “if it comes to the point he’s on the market, Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson… Toronto. That’s his pick.”
Kyle Bukauskas jumped in by asking what kind of reaction that would spark if Karlsson actually wound up in Toronto. Alfredsson’s move was a major moment for Senators fans, and Bukauskas said a Karlsson move north would be another one entirely: “That would be something,” he said.
Even at 36, Karlsson is still one of the league’s most productive defensemen. He finished eighth among NHL defensemen with 66 points last season and posted elite marks in skating speed, shot generation, offensive-zone play and scoring from distance. He’s a three-time Norris Trophy winner, but the Stanley Cup is still missing from his résumé.
For Pittsburgh, the goal is to keep its veteran group in the fight in a difficult Metropolitan Division. If that doesn’t look realistic this season, Karlsson could be open to waiving his no-move clause for a team with a clearer chance to win.
Toronto is not that team right now. Still, the Maple Leafs have spent the summer making major changes and are trying to push back into contention.
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For a Leafs fan base that has spent plenty of time looking for signs of depth help, the appeal goes beyond the trophy. The Marlies success offered a useful snapshot of how the next wave is progressing, and it also put a spotlight on which prospects may be closest to pushing for real NHL relevance. The upcoming season should tell us more about how quickly that group can translate a strong AHL spring into something more lasting in Toronto. [Read more 🡒]
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Toronto brought in Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, Jack Roslovic and Nick Paul as part of that push, giving the lineup more support behind the headline names. The real question now is whether that kind of balance lets Matthews and Nylander keep producing at the level the Leafs need, or even find another gear, with fewer demands on them to carry so much of the burden themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Phil Kessel Carried The Leafs More Than Fans Realized
Phil Kessels time in Toronto is often remembered for the frustration around the broader team results, but his production was a steady constant during six seasons after the Maple Leafs acquired him from the Boston Bruins in 2009. In 446 games, he piled up 394 points and settled in among the franchises top scorers in several categories, a reminder of how much offense he supplied even as the team around him struggled to find consistency.
What stands out most is how often Kessel was carrying the scoring load almost by default. He led the Maple Leafs in points every season he wore the jersey, which says as much about his importance as it does about the lack of support beside him. By the time he was traded in 2015, Toronto had spent years depending on Kessel to drive the attack, whether the rest of the roster was ready to match it or not. [Read more 🡒]