Who knew that losing a superstar winger like Mitch Marner would set back the Toronto Maple Leafs as much as it would? After being bounced in Game 7 in the second round to the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs were able to trade Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights for Nicolas Roy, at least salvaging something for the winger.

However, losing a player that is capable of 100+ points and not replacing him is a recipe for disaster, and that’s why the Maple Leafs currently find themselves out of a playoff spot. At the Olympic break, they have a 27-21-9 record, giving them 63 points, six points out of a playoff spot. They started to play better before the break, winning their last three games, but the Leafs haven’t been consistent throughout the season.

During a Saturday Night Headlines on January 31st, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Leafs are set to begin the process of selling. But before we look at some players who are on Daily Faceoff’s latest trade board, let’s identify the Oilers’ needs.

Identifying the Oilers’ needs

The skinny of the Oilers situation is that while they’re in a playoff spot, they don’t look like the team that went to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. Earlier this season, they addressed their goaltending needs, a trade that hasn’t quite worked out for them.

Their defensive structure has been an absolute mess all season long, leaking far too many high-danger scoring chances, while they’ve barely seen any production for their bottom six. Heading into the March 6th trade deadline, the Oilers have three primary needs: A winger that can move up and down the lineup and play in their top nine, a right-shot centre for the third line, and a right-shot defenceman.

All that being said, what do the Maple Leafs have to offer?

Bobby McMann

The Oilers have been linked to Wainwright, Alta. product Bobby McMann in recent months. He’s a speedy, undrafted winger who has proven to have scoring chops in the National Hockey League, potting 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games this season. He’s set to blow by his career-best of 20 goals and 34 points in 74 games last season.

It’s not the first time the Oilers have had interest in a late bloomer from the Maple Leafs, having signed Zach Hyman after the 2020-21 season. McMann would give the Oilers an additional scoring winger in their top 9 on an affordable cap hit, as he is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $1.35 million. The Oilers can make that cap work right now, well, at least until Adam Henrique returns from the long-term injured reserve.

McMann is considered an obvious trade candidate by Daily Faceoff.

Nicolas Roy

McMann was linked to the Oilers by Bob Stauffer earlier this year, but so too was Nicolas Roy. The Maple Leafs acquired Roy for Marner, and the 6’4”, right-shot centre from the remote town of Amos, Québec, would be an ideal fit for the Oilers.

Although Roy has just five goals and 20 points this season, the former Golden Knight consistently scored between 13 and 15 goals before the trade, with anywhere between 30 and 41 points. While that isn’t quite top six material, you’d absolutely take that as a third-line, defensively focused centre. Roy has had a strong season in the dot, winning 53.6% of the faceoffs he’s taken, a change of pace from his time with the Golden Knights.

The right-shot centre has a cap hit of $3 million and is in the penultimate year of his contract. With retention, the Oilers can absorb this cap hit, but will need to trade Andrew Mangiapane when Henrique returns.

Roy isn’t listed on Daily Faceoff’s latest trade board.

Dec 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Bobby McMann (74) and left wing Matias MacCelli (63) look for the puck in the Dallas Stars zone during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Matias Maccelli

There was some chatter about the Oilers and Mattias Maccelli this past off-season. At just 25 years old, he wouldn’t be a bad addition for the middle six, as he has 10 goals and 24 points in 46 games this season. In his final season with the Utah Mammoth in 2024-25, he had just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games, but scored a career-best 17 goals and 57 points during the 2023-24 season.

Maccelli is in the final year of his deal with a cap hit of $3.425 million, but is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Daily Faceoff considers Maccelli a player to keep an eye on.

Scott Laughton

Another third line centre who could be of interest to the Oilers is Scott Laughton. Ironically, the Leafs paid their 2027 first round pick to acquire his services last trade deadline. He scored just two goals and four points in 20 games to end the 2024-25 season, with two assists in 13 playoff games. Through 39 games this season, the left-shot centre has eight goals and 11 points.

Laughton is one of the Leafs’ unrestricted free agents, and he carries a cap hit of $3 million. He’s had a strong season at the faceoff dot (56.5%) and is a good defensive centre with a bit of a track record to score about 13 goals a season. Daily Faceoff considers him an obvious trade candidate.

Brandon Carlo

Another player the Leafs acquired before the 2025 trade deadline was right-shot defenceman Brandon Carlo. In return, the Boston Bruins received a top-10 protected 2026 first round pick that’ll slide to be a 2028 unprotected first if the Leafs finish with a top 10 pick. They also gave up then prospect Fraser Minten, who has 14 goals and 29 points in 57 games.

Since joining the Leafs, Carlo has been held pointless in 67 games, picking up three assists to end the 2024-25 regular season, being held pointless in the 2025 playoffs, and picking up just five assists in 34 games this season. The Oilers may need a right-shot defenceman to play alongside Darnell Nurse, but Carlo is not the right player for that role, as he’s a below average defender.

Carlo is in the penultimate year of his six-year contract and carries a cap hit of $4.1 million. The Bruins retain 5.03% of Carlo’s salary, but if the Oilers wish to acquire his services, you’d have to imagine that the Leafs would have to retain 50% of the salary. Daily Faceoff listed Carlo as an obvious trade candidate.

Jan 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) carries the puck against the Colorado Avalanche at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the Oilers and Leafs have spoken heading into the roster freeze, and one player they could’ve spoken about is Oliver Ekman-Larsson. A left-shot defenceman, the Swede has turned back the clock of time and has eight goals and 34 points in 57 games this season. That’s on pace to be his best season since before the pandemic.

The Sheet with Jeff Marek

@thesheethockey

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"I was told by a couple people that the Oilers and Leafs had conversations leading up to the freeze" @TheFourthPeriod revealed to @JeffMarek that Toronto and Edmonton have had conversations - and they weren't about Bobby McMann👀 #LetsGoOilers #LeafsForever

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9:52 PM · Feb 7, 2026

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Offensively, the 34-year-old has a lot to offer, but he isn’t great defensively. Moreover, the Oilers already have a surplus of left-shot defencemen. Add in the fact that Pagnotta reported that the price of Ekman-Larsson could be Ike Howard, it’s a player that the Oilers should probably stay away from.

He’s capable of playing on the right side, and has his name on the Stanley Cup, but the veteran carries a cap hit of $3.5 million and is in the second year of a four-year contract.

Other Maple Leafs who could be on the move

If the Maple Leafs decide to sell at the trade deadline, they have the possibility to be one of the most active teams in the NHL. On top of the players already listed, Daily Faceoff has seven other players who the Leafs could potentially move, including former Oiler Troy Stecher.

Morgan Rielly
Troy Stecher
Calle Järnkrok
Max Domi
Nick Robertson
Simon Benoit
Anthony Stolarz

Trade deadline preview series

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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