The NHL trade deadline is a week away and all the eyes of Leafs Nation are on GM Brad Treliving, and how exactly the veteran executive is going to upgrade the Maple Leafs’ roster for what everyone is hoping for is a long Stanley Cup Playoff run.

Toronto has been linked to several trade candidates throughout the past few weeks, including middle-six centres and depth defenceman, so it’s going to be very interesting to see what the roster looks like post deadline. As we all know, in order to bring in talent, talent needs to depart, so there could surely be some current Maple Leafs roster players and prospects in play as trades develop.

Here’s five Maple Leafs’ trade candidates who could be involved in pre-deadline transactions:

Max Domi

In a perfect world Domi would have slid into the third-line centre roll and ran with it this season, but that hasn’t been the case at all. His offensive struggles are well documented, and head coach Craig Berube has been on Domi of late trying to push him to be more engaged physically, regardless if he’s a regular on the scoresheet.

Domi’s in the first year of a four-year contract he signed last summer, and he’s currently not performing to his $3.75 million AAV cap hit. Domi has a 13-team no-trade clause, which makes things a little bit complicated sure, but not impossible to move him. Will he fetch much straight up for a proven NHLer? No, but if he’s a part of a package to help balance out the finances, with a sweetener, Domi could be moved before March 7.

For instance, if the Leafs wind up adding a Scott Laughton from Philadelphia, or a Brayden Schenn from St. Louis, Domi could be the plug-and-play piece going to other way, along with the Leafs’ 2026 first-round draft pick, or one of their better prospects.

Conor Timmins

Timmins has been much better than expected this season, playing a depth role on the Maple Leafs’ bottom pair, and showing a little bit of everything when it comes to a two-way game. Yes, untimely mistakes and bad reads continue to haunt Timmins as far as from a consistent standpoint goes, but at 26 years old, $1.1 million cap hit this season, and a pending restricted free agent, perhaps the team control aspect appeals to a selling team.

Timmins has recorded seven points in 47 games this season, averaging 16:21 of ice-time, along with 48 shots on goal, which ranks him fourth among Leafs’ blueliners. With the Maple Leafs up against the cap, even at $1.1 million, including Timmins in a deal could be a priority in order to make the money work.

Nick Robertson

Robertson wanted out last summer, but that’s not the case anymore, and of late, he’s been stellar on the Leafs’ third line. His game screams top-six winger, as he’s undersized and always looking for his shot, but he certainly has increased his trade value these last few games with four points over that stretch.

Robertson’s still only 23 years old, he’s full of untapped potential, and yes, if Treliving was to move him, there’s a decent chance he could flourish with a change of scenery. Should Robertson be moved before the trade deadline, it’s likely because the Leafs are making a big splash, and are making major changes to their middle-six for the home stretch of the season.

The California native is still on the cheap at $875,000, so it does make some level of sense to keep him around post deadline, but teams will be asking Treliving about him in conversations, so at this point it feels like a coin flip if he’s included in a deal.

Fraser Minten

The former second-round pick has managed to appear in 15 games with the big club this season, recording four points, and in 24 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, Minten has tallied six goals and 13 points. Yes, the organization loves his attention to detail, especially on the defensive-side of the puck, however, if they are swinging for the fences before the trade deadline, Minten’s very likely going to be included in the multi-piece package going the other way.

Ideally, the Leafs hold onto him and he develops into the shut-down third-line centre of the future, but because of his lack of physicality, there’s some questions about what the future holds for the 20-year-old. If the Leafs try to make a splash for a Mikko Rantanen, Dylan Cozens, Laughton, or Schenn, it’s going to be very tough for Treliving to keep Minten in the organization.

It feels like he’s very close to being an NHL regular, so there’s certainly a significant level of risk involved trading Minten, but the fact of the matter is Treliving knows this Leafs team this season has a legit shot at winning the Stanley Cup, so the organization may not be able to wait out Minten’s learning curve.

Easton Cowan

Cowan’s the organization’s prized jewel at the moment, but he’s also likely the first name that comes up when Treliving is asking other GM’s what the asking price is for their prime trade candidates. Cowan had a rough World Juniors and there was a lot of questions about his body language and attitude throughout the tournament, as the results weren’t there and it showed on his demeanor.

Talent wise, he has all the tools to be a top-six winger and contribute consistently in the future, but again, like Minten, how long is it going to take before the Maple Leafs get the most out of him. Toronto is in win-now mode, there’s massive questions coming this offseason, and Treliving will be smart to go all-in this year. Which means, if someone like Domi is moved, or a David Kampf and his $2.4 million cap hit, Cowan could very well be included as the sweetener to seal the deal.

With Bobby McMann on an affordable contract for another season and Matthew Knies’ pending extension this summer, along with the likelihood Mitch Marner re-signs, and William Nylander locked up, the top-six wings are crowded.

Risky? Of course it is, Cowan is one of the best prospects outside of the NHL. But, it all comes down to what’s coming back the other way, and if the Maple Leafs land a big fish before March 7, one of Cowan or Minten will very likely be dealt.

Get ready, hockey fans! The Daily Faceoff Deadline is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we’ve got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!

Editorials

Recent articles from Jeremy Tingly

NHL Notebook: Dylan Larkin requests trade from Red Wings, Oilers open to moving Darnell Nurse

Maple Leafs shouldn’t be picky with trade return for Morgan Rielly

Jack Eichel feels Mitch Marner was treated unfairly in Toronto

MORE NEWS. IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER