The noise surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs as they head into the 2026 offseason is much louder than in other seasons. Sure, the chatter is always roaring in Toronto. But this offseason, the noise will be deafening.
During Thursday’s exit interviews, the somber tone across the organization underscored how tough the season was for the Maple Leafs. One of the players who seemed to be saying his goodbyes was longtime defenseman Morgan Rielly.
However, it won’t be Morgan Rielly who’ll likely bid adieu this offseason. Another veteran defenseman could be on the way out.
That blueliner is Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The 34-year-old had somewhat of a resurgent season in Toronto this year. He scored eight goals and 39 points in 78 games. He was a tough, stabilizing force in what was an otherwise disappointing performance for the Maple Leafs blueline corps. In fact, Ekman-Larsson generated plenty of attention at the trade deadline. However, former GM Brad Treliving botched the situation by not budging from his astronomical asking price.
That could change this offseason. Treliving’s successor could look to cash in this chip, potentially taking advantage of a team in need of a solid, veteran third-pairing defenseman.
It’s worth pointing out that the team that reportedly showed the most interest in Ekman-Larsson was the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton eventually settled on Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks at the deadline.
Still, it’s unlikely that rumors regarding Ekman-Larsson will go away this summer.
Maple Leafs Will Have Easier Time Trading Ekman-Larsson than Rielly
The Maple Leafs will have an overall easier time trading Ekman-Larsson than Rielly. For starters, Ekman-Larsson has a 16-team no-trade clause. That’s a huge difference compared to Rielly’s full no-movement clause.
Also, Ekman-Larsson comes with a $3.5 million cap hit over the next two seasons. That’s much more palatable for teams that might view Rielly’s $7.5 million cap hit for the next four seasons as totally untenable.
It’s also worth pointing out that Ekman-Larsson has said he wants to stay in Toronto. So, the organization could respect his wishes and keep him in the fold. After all, Ekman-Larsson is a serviceable defenseman. He’s the type of blueliner the Maple Leafs will need if the club wants to have a quick turnaround next season.
What to read next: Maple Leafs 2025-26 Season Squandered Unless This Happens
Toronto Can’t Expect a Substantial Return for Ekman-Larsson
Rumors suggested the Maple Leafs were asking for a first-round pick at this year’s deadline for Ekman-Larsson. While the Leafs can’t be blamed for setting a high asking price, the fact is that a more reasonable price tag would have gotten the deal done.
That’s why the Maple Leafs can’t expect a substantial return for Ekman-Larsson even if a deal could get over the finish line.
Perhaps something more akin to the Scott Laughton deal is what the Leafs could expect for the veteran blueliner. In that regard, the idea of moving Ekman-Larsson would have to boil down to his willingness to leave and the team’s desire to move on from him.
There’s one caveat to this entire conversation. The Maple Leafs would need to find a suitable replacement for Ekman-Larsson’s overall play and production. If Toronto can find such a player, then Ekman-Larsson could become expendable, irrespective of the return the organization can get for him this summer.
Maple Leafs Could Be Moving D-Man, and It’s Not Reilly