The Toronto Maple Leafs enter this offseason marked by a major transformation following the departure of one of their key offensive pieces, Mitch Marner, who was sent to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade. In recent days, rumors about a new teammate for Auston Matthews have started to surface.
Although there haven’t been major additions, Toronto reaffirmed its commitment to a key player in John Tavares, who signed a four-year extension with an average annual value of $4.38 million. At the same time, Matthew Knies will remain alongside Matthews to continue carrying high expectations.
During the offseason, speculation has emerged about players who could leave Toronto, with Nick Robertson and Morgan Rielly pointed to as potential trade chips to bring in a high-impact player. In that sense, a possible trade to land Erik Karlsson in Toronto drew the attention of former Leaf Jay Rosehill.
The former Leaf who commented on a trade for Karlsson
“I take that all day. We’re trying to get rid of Nick Robertson in general, where does he fit? Whose spot is he taking? I just don’t think he’s going to be here, and Morgan Rielly has stalled,” Rosehill said about the trade idea on Leafs Morning Take.
Erik Karlsson #65 of Team Sweden skates during the second period against Team Canada in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at the Bell Centre on February 12, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Sweden 4-3 in overtime.
“To get the upside of Erik Karlsson, and someone who can quarterback a PP and run the offense like Karlsson has done in the past, with all his accomplishments, he would be great, but I don’t think anyone is really going to take that trade,” he added.
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A possible deal for Karlsson
Amid the debate about bringing in a big name to reinforce the roster led by Matthews, the idea of a trade involving Robertson and Rielly has gained traction. Karlsson is a defenseman who could strengthen the Leafs’ blue line. However, there are no active negotiations at this time.
