Maple Leafs Trade Idea Clears Logjam in the Crease

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The Toronto Maple Leafs could clear a potential logjam in the crease with this proposed trade idea with an Eastern Conference rival.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could have a potential logjam in their crease next season. Anthony Stolarz’s contract extension will kick in, with Joseph Woll potentially competing with Dennis Hildeby for the backup role.

That situation could create a logjam. Hildeby may be too good to spend another season with the Marlies. Meanwhile, Woll isn’t an AHL-level goalie by any means. So, one will have to go down.

The easiest choice is to send Hildeby to the Marlies at the start of next season. He’s waivers-exempt for one more season. While there are limitations to the number of times a player can shuffle between the NHL and AHL, the Maple Leafs could tango with Hildeby going up and down.

But what if there was an offer on the table? One that could clear the logjam while bringing back a useful asset for the Maple Leafs?

In that case, trading Joseph Woll might be the best bet. According to Anthony DiMarco of Daily Faceoff, the Philadelphia Flyers are looking into landing Woll. If that’s the case, there could be a trade on the horizon this summer.

Here’s what this trade could look like:

Maple Leafs get:

2026 second-round pick

Samuel Ersson, G

Alex Bump, F

Flyers get:

Joseph Woll, G

2026 fifth-round pick

The most evident piece of this return is Alex Bump. He’s a good young forward who could play a significant middle-six role. Assuming that Nick Robertson moves up in the lineup, Bump could start out on the third line and move up as needed.

Bump is a gritty forward who can chip in some scoring. He notched five goals in 17 games this season, adding two in six postseason games this year.

Maple Leafs Will Need Goaltending Depth

Some may question the reasoning for taking back Samuel Ersson. The Flyers could have well given up on him. They don’t really have a place for him in the AHL, and he’s an RFA. So, bringing him into Toronto would give the Maple Leafs some depth.

Ersson could start the year in the AHL with the Marlies, allowing the Leafs to roll with a Stolarz-Hildeby tandem. The next man up would be Artur Akhtyamov, as needs dictate. Should the situation get dire, Ersson would be a good third-string/last resort option.

At the beginning of this past season, the Maple Leafs had to pick up Cayden Primeau on waivers as both Stolarz and Woll traded turns on IR. At the very least, Ersson brings some NHL experience, even if he wouldn’t necessarily be a world beater.

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Flyers’ 2^nd-Rounder Could Be Interesting Acquisition

The most interesting piece of this trade idea is the Flyers’ second-rounder. The pick is slated for 53^rd overall, and could yield a serviceable option for the Maple Leafs.

It’s worth pointing out that the Flyers would have to pay up a decent draft pick to get Woll. There aren’t many goalies available on the market, and, well, a first-rounder for Woll isn’t exactly commensurate.

So, a second-round pick would make sense for the Leafs. With a bit of luck, the Maple Leafs can find another player in the second round like they did with Matthew Knies. A bit of legwork can yield a highly valuable piece.