Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is active in trade discussions, and while it may not be until minutes before the trade deadline on March 6, don’t be surprised to see Treliving move Scott Laughton.

Laughton will be on the radar of several playoff-bound teams looking for a bottom-six upgrade. The 31-year-old defensive center is finally finding his legs as a Maple Leaf, making an impact on both sides of the puck, but it’s the perfect time to cash in on a thin market. Laughton’s recorded eight goals in 39 games, he’s an effective penalty killer, he’s won 57% of his faceoffs, and what could be the most important detail, if Treliving retains 50% of his salary, Laughton could be traded at just $750,000 against the cap.

The Maple Leafs could maximize their return for Laughton if they eat half of his remaining salary, and it’s very likely Treliving considers. There’s been some chatter about a potential extension, but to this point, contract talks are nowhere near as rampant as the trade rumors surrounding Laughton. Treliving would be wise to let these next two weeks play out, see if the Leafs make up some ground in the Eastern Conference, and if they don’t, enter sell mode.

Here’s five potential trade destinations for Laughton ahead of Mar.6:

Every year the Lightning come out of nowhere to make significant upgrades to their lineup leading up to the trade deadline, and this season, Laughton could quickly become their target. With his attention to detail in all three zones, his work ethic, and intangibles in the dressing room, Laughton’s the type of player Jon Cooper craves for.

Tampa Bay has over $3.8 million in cap space, and while it’s rare to see two Atlantic Division rivals making deadline deals together, if the Maple Leafs are out of it, and the Lightning are willing to pay the ‘in-division tax’ in trade talks, why wouldn’t Treliving agree if the Lightning were making the best offer?

The Lightning own their 2026 second-round pick, and if Treliving retains 50% of Laughton’s salary, he should be shooting for at least a second-round pick and young roster player, or mid-level prospect, who is loaded with potential. Keep an eye on the Lightning, Laughton is right in their wheelhouse.

The Avs have come back down to earth leading up to the Olympic games, but there’s no denying they’re a Stanley Cup contender, so expect to see GM Chris MacFarland upgrade his bottom six and add at least one defenceman. Laughton would be a perfect fit in Colorado as he’s a cheap trade target, who can play a specific role, and help the Avs shore up defensively.

The only issue with the Avalanche is the fact they don’t own their first, second, or third-round picks in 2026, and frankly, Treliving shouldn’t be making trades for future considerations, as Auston Matthews and William Nylander have no interest in powering through a rebuild. Treliving needs to take advantage of the sellers market and cash in on his best trade chips.

If Laughton ends up in Colorado, would 21-year-old Gavin Brindley be a target of Treliving’s?

After pulling off the trade of the year landing Quinn Hughes from Vancouver, Wild GM Bill Guerin isn’t finished, and word is, he’s looking for some help down the middle of the ice.

Laughton would be a nice addition for the Wild’s third line, and he’s the type of personality that wouldn’t disrupt the positive juju the team has in their dressing room at the moment, thanks to Hughes coming in and making an immediate impact. The Wild are open to just about anything, as they search for help up front, and there’s been chatter about Guerin offering goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in trade talks.

While Wallstedt won’t be on Treliving’s radar, the Wild have a number of trade candidates that will interest the Maple Leafs GM. There’s potential these two teams could pull off a multi-piece deal, that’s much bigger than just Laughton heading to Minny, and if that winds up being the case, the Maple Leafs should be targeting David Spacek or David Jiricek.

If feels like this could be the year we see the Maple Leafs and Oilers complete a deadline deal, as the Oilers are looking to fill in around the edges before Mar.6. While Bobby McMann may be the better fit, based on his scoring prowess and game-changing speed from the wing, the Oilers may not have enough to offer Treliving for his speedy winger, and the conversations could shift to Laughton.

Trent Frederic hasn’t worked out at all in Edmonton, so Laughton would be a huge upgrade for their bottom six and give the Oilers a chance to create a shut-down line heading into the playoffs, which is something they’ve had success with in year’s past. The Oilers love having a third line with a ton of character, who can impact the game in all three zones, and Laughton would be the perfect candidate to centre the trio.

The Oilers are only in the market for cheap trade candidates, as they have just $879,316 in cap space entering this week, so GM Stan Bowman will see Laughton at $750,000 and his eyes are going to light up. Isaac Howard or Matt Savoie won’t be coming to Toronto straight up for Laughton, but what about young right-handed defenceman Beau Akey?

The Mammoth want to make a serious splash heading into this season’s trade deadline, and with loads of cap space at over $23 million, tons of draft capital to move out, and an aggressive ownership/management group, the Mammoth could quickly become the talk of the league on Mar.6.

Utah is entering the post-Olympic break with a 30-23-4 record, sitting in the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Their penalty kill is ranked 16th in the league and it’s going to be a topic of discussion leading up to the deadline, so Laughton makes a ton of sense as a Mammoth trade target.

Cole Beaudoin or Tij Iginla would look amazing in blue and white, but that’s not happening for Laughton, or likely anyone, for that matter. Utah has a slew of draft picks, including their 2026 first-rounder and three second-rounders. Treliving needs to take the best offer, regardless, and if it ends up being two second-rounders, great, he could always turn around at draft weekend and move the picks for NHL talent.

Treliving can’t go into this trade deadline laser focused on a specific return. The Maple Leafs GM needs to take full advantage of his cheap trade candidates, Laughton included, and sell them off to the highest bidder. Toronto needs to be open minded, and they certainly need to make some significant changes heading into next season. While a contract extension is possible, don’t be surprised to see Laughton shipped out of town shortly before the buzzer goes off on deadline day.

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th, from 11 AM-3:30 PM ET for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.