The math is getting scary for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sitting at a mediocre 12-11-3 record, the team is currently on the outside looking in. History tells us that teams holding a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving usually keep it—and teams outside the bracket miss the postseason 90% of the time.
That statistical reality has shifted the conversation in Toronto from “Stanley Cup Contender” to “Seller.” If General Manager Brad Treliving wants to salvage this season or pivot for the future, the roster shakeup needs to happen soon. Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon recently highlighted the most likely assets to move, and frankly, the list makes sense. The Leafs are holding onto players who might have more value elsewhere than they do at Scotiabank Arena.
Analyzing the Top Trade Candidates on the Maple Leafs Roster
As an analyst watching this team night in and night out, it is clear the current mix isn’t clicking. Here is my take on the three names circulating the rumor mill right now: Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann, and Matias Maccelli.
The Nick Robertson Dilemma: Robertson has been a fixture in the rumor mill since the summer of 2024. The kid has a lethal shot, but he’s stuck in purgatory. He shows flashes of top-six potential, yet coaching never trusts him enough to give him the runway he needs. At this point, a trade is a mercy killing for his career. He needs a fresh start, and the Leafs need an asset they can actually use.
Bobby McMann’s Regression: Last season’s 20-goal campaign felt like a breakout, but this year has been a harsh reality check. With just six goals in 26 games, McMann looks like a passenger. If a team still believes in his 2024 form, Toronto should sell before his value completely evaporates.
The Maccelli Experiment: The Leafs banked on Maccelli regaining his 57-point form from his previous season, but it hasn’t happened. Nine points in 22 games and a string of healthy scratches is unacceptable for an offensive acquisition. He doesn’t kill penalties, and if he isn’t scoring, he’s a liability.
It’s not just about changing faces; it’s about changing the energy. This core has become stale, and these three players represent the easiest path to shaking up the room.
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I don’t think that trading these three useful NHL players for other necessary present assets indicates that the Leafs will become “sellers.” Were they to trade them for draft picks, the appellation might be more appropriate. Were they to trade them along with one member of the current defense corps for two solid mobile D-men with puck-moving skills, that could more realistically be a good move for the present and for the future. Further, the noted regression in Bobby McMann’s productivity in 2025 vs. 2024 is illusory. Six goals in 26 games work out to 0.23 goals per game. Twenty goals in 74 games work out to 0.27 goals per game. The 0.04 goals per game difference over an 82-game season results in a net difference of 3.2 goals. Further, the team as a whole played much better last year, especially at the top of the lineup, meaning that the third line played under less pressure. More fundamentally, McMann had a very slow start this year, mirroring the play of the entire squad. He and others, such as Dakota Joshua, have certainly picked up their offensive production very recently, and it is premature to sell just as performance is on the rise. Big, fast, fearless, and productive players are not in great supply. Making other trades would open up roster slots for a pair of quick, effective, and younger players ready to move from the Marlies to the Leafs. Jacob Quillan is one such player who would enhance the Leafs’ bottom 6, if not for a bottleneck on the big team.