Nation Sites
The Nation Network
The LeafsNation has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Maple Leafs can sell high on Max Domi and others to have something to show for the season
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
By Jon Steitzer
Jan 29, 2026, 07:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 29, 2026, 06:50 EST
I’m not sure how 2025-26 can be labelled as anything other than a disaster for the Toronto Maple Leafs. A predictable disaster? Sure, but a disaster, nevertheless.
Admittedly, I’m not normally a silver lining type guy, but the Maple Leafs are in a surprisingly good place to be sellers at the trade deadline with a number of useable middle of the lineup players including a couple of pending unrestricted free agents (Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann) and the Leafs can recoup some assets without touching any of their most impactful players.
The name that immediately comes to mind, and it seems like it came to most people’s mind during the Sabres-Leafs game on January 27th, is Max Domi.
Domi has a lot of underachieving to his name during his time in Toronto but has been on a heater of late. With 20 points in 27 games through December and January so far, Domi is producing at a pace that matches some of his best seasons and at the very least his season numbers are now in line with what can reasonably be expected from Domi throughout his career.
Domi’s $3.75M cap hit no longer looks burdensome and instead is in line with what his results are and as a potential centre option for some clubs, there might be legitimate interest in Domi if the Leafs were to make him available, possibly even creating the opportunity for the Leafs to get a meaningful return if they were to retain some of the cap hit as well.
The inconsistency that Domi has become known for is why the Maple Leafs should explore selling when he’s producing (similar to what Chicago did with him previously), and given that the Leafs have other all offence no defence players who bring similar attributes like Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli, moving on from Domi would be wise at a time when the team clearly needs to make some roster room for a 2026-27 overhaul.
It’s not going to be lost on teams around the league that his resurgence coincides with him playing with Auston Matthews but come playoff time, a player who can fit into existing top six or top nine situations with players already producing is probably what buyers are looking for.
The Leafs know that Domi isn’t their ideal option in their top six going forward whether Berube is the coach or not, cashing out when he has value makes sense.
In addition to Domi the other sell high option the Leafs need to be open to is moving on from Oliver Ekman-Larsson. While the bar could not have been set lower for him after 2024-25, Ekman-Larsson’s 2025-26 is exceeding expectations to an unsustainable degree.
It is hard to imagine that there will be many better offensive defencemen options available heading into the trade deadline, and Oliver has outperformed players like Dougie Hamilton at almost a third of the price.
The Leafs need to ask themselves if Ekman-Larsson is likely to repeat this success with the coach they envision for the team in 2026-27, and if the answer is even maybe, it’s time to move on.
Outside of the selling high options, the Leafs have a slew over other contracts that they need to decide whether there is more value with them remaining with the Leafs or if the space to try something different in the summer is more critical. Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo, and Anthony Stolarz are additional options the Leafs need to explore, although with less of a sense of urgency. Roster flexibility over the summer is something the Leafs need to attach value to and regaining some futures in the process makes sense.
While the Leafs won’t trade absolutely everyone, taking a good look at who is overperforming or still carries a positive reputation around the league will benefit Toronto, and give the team some cap space they can weaponize at the trade deadline and into the offseason.
PRESENTED BY OFF THE ROSTER
Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.
Breaking News
- Hockey Hall of Famer, former Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher dies at 90
- What we can infer about the Maple Leafs’ draft strategy from John Chayka’s media availability
- Maple Leafs GM John Chayka calls Gavin McKenna ‘a really nice young man’ after visit to Whitehorse
- Chris Pronger didn’t like the Leafs’ reported Knies trade return: Leafs Morning Take
- Gavin McKenna confirms John Chayka traveled to Whitehorse to meet him, will meet again in coming weeks