The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a bit of a balancing act right now-caught somewhere between a playoff push and a potential pivot toward selling at the NHL trade deadline. And if they do lean toward the latter, veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson could be one of the first names on the move.
Ekman-Larsson is reportedly drawing interest around the league, and it’s not hard to see why. He’s a proven presence on the blue line, and with the Leafs still trying to find their identity this season, his name surfacing in trade talks makes sense.
The veteran is under contract for four years at $14 million, a manageable number for teams looking to add experience and depth on the back end. If GM Brad Treliving decides to open the phones, Ekman-Larsson could quickly become one of the more sought-after pieces on the market.
But here’s where things get interesting: despite a rocky stretch earlier in the season, the Leafs are showing signs of life. They’re riding a three-game winning streak, capped by a convincing 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Scotiabank Arena. It’s the kind of performance that reminds you this team still has the firepower to make a push-especially if they can tighten up defensively and get consistent goaltending down the stretch.
Matias Maccelli was front and center in that win, lighting the lamp twice and playing with the kind of confidence that’s contagious. After the game, he spoke about the team’s mindset, saying, “They were good tonight, but we played a solid two-way game, too.
We had the right mindset coming into the game, and we executed and stayed faithful.” That’s the kind of quote that tells you this group isn’t mailing it in-not by a long shot.
The Leafs are currently sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division, just five points out of a playoff spot. That’s close enough to keep things interesting, but far enough to force some tough decisions-especially with a trade freeze looming during the Olympic break. That “mini-deadline” could act as a pressure point for front offices across the league, and the Leafs will need to decide quickly whether they’re buying in or cashing out.
Their next big test comes post-Olympics, when they face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 25. That matchup could go a long way in shaping the Leafs’ path forward. For now, the team’s recent surge has put them back in the conversation-but the clock is ticking, and so are the phones in Toronto.