Insider Suggests Leafs May Be Looking to Acquire More Than One Player From the Flyers
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire - USA Today Sports
With things heating up in advance of the trade deadline, Elliotte Friedman suggests that Scott Laughton may not be the only piece the Leafs are after in Philly.
Earlier today, two top trade targets were taken off the board after the Edmonton Oilers acquired Trent Frederic in a three team trade involving Boston and New Jersey. Then, the Montreal Canadiens extended Jake Evans to a 4-year deal.
With the trade deadline just a few days away, it doesn't leave Toronto Maple Leafs with a lot of time or options if they are seriously looking to boost their current roster ahead of what should be a lengthy playoff run.
With the Eastern Conference wide open at the moment, this could be Toronto's best chance to strike, but with dwindling options available this year, they might have to swing for the fences and part ways with some prominent future assets.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman joined The Leafs Nation's "Leafs Morning Take" podcast to discuss all things surrounding the Leafs ahead of the trade deadline and the insider believes that maybe Toronto will be bold enough to go after both Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen.
The interest has always been there, especially for Laughton, but the Flyers have been stingy with their asking price and have not budged over the years. With the Leafs and other contending teams potentially growing desperate, it could be high-time for a move:
"I think they have accepted the fact that if they're going to get something that's going to move the needle, it's gonna cost them some combination of their number one pick in 2026, Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, or Ben Danford.
I know they're interested in Laughton, they know what the price is going to be for Laughton, I've always wondered if they could do a Laughton-Ristolainen kinda deal, knock two birds off with one stone but that's expensive."
I know they're interested in Laughton, they know what the price is going to be for Laughton, I've always wondered if they could do a Laughton-Ristolainen kinda deal, knock two birds off with one stone but that's expensive."
If the Leafs tried for just Laughton specifically, it can be done very easily considering his cap hit is just $3 million dollars and he's under contract for next season. But, if Ristolainen gets involved, it becomes stickier with his cap hit being at $5.1 million until the end of the 2027-28 season.
The Leafs would more than likely have to move a contract out like Max Domi on top of their first round pick in 2026 and one of their three top prospects. The Flyers have long had interest in Minten, and Cowan plays in London with two Philadelphia prospects.
Stay tuned for what should be an exciting roller coaster ride as we are just 3 days removed from the trade deadline.
| POLL | ||
MARS 4 | 1761 ANSWERS Insider Suggests Leafs May Be Looking to Acquire More Than One Player From the Flyers Would you make the swap for both Flyers players? | ||
| Yes, they're both exactly what we need | 831 | 47.2 % |
| No, it doesn't make sense financially | 355 | 20.2 % |
| Not worth losing a top prospect over | 575 | 32.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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