The Toronto Maple Leafs have had an up-and-down start to the 2026-27 season.
At the time of this writing, the Maple Leafs sport a 3-3-1 record and are sixth in the Atlantic Division. They also lost their most recent game against the Utah Mammoth by a 5-4 final score. Thus, they have had mixed results early on.
With how the Maple Leafs’ season has started, it would be understandable if they looked to make another big move. One clear area that the Maple Leafs should look to improve is the left side of their defense.
Due to this, Toronto is now being connected to one of the NHL’s top trade candidates.
Toronto Maple Leafs Urged to Trade for Detroit Red Wings Star Defenseman Simon Edvinsson
In a recent article for Daily Faceoff, Matt Larkin named the Maple Leafs as a top potential landing spot for Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Larkin specifically noted the Maple Leafs’ need for another top-four defenseman as a reason why they should target Edvinsson.
“It’s no secret the Leafs want to add a bona fide top-four defenseman,” Larkin wrote. “We also know GM John Chayka is willing to swoop in any time a high-end player becomes available; the Leafs certainly didn’t have to trade Matthew Knies but were compelled to because they couldn’t pass up Kirill Marchenko. With Edvinsson in play, we can only assume Chayka will check on the price.”
Given the Maple Leafs’ need for blueline help, it makes sense that they are being viewed as a potential suitor for Edvinsson. He would be an excellent addition to the Maple Leafs’ roster, as he is a young star who still can improve further.
If the Maple Leafs landed Edvinsson, he would be an obvious fit for either their first or second pairing. In addition, he would work on both of their special teams because of his strong all-around play. Due to this, he is precisely the kind of defenseman the Maple Leafs should be looking to make a blockbuster trade for.
Edvinsson Could Help Maple Leafs Take Next Step in Retool
Edvinsson has shown a lot of promise early on in his NHL career. During this past season with the Red Wings, he posted nine goals, 25 points, 94 hits, and a plus-12 rating. This was after he had seven goals, 31 points, 86 hits, and a plus-12 rating in 78 games for Detroit in 2024-25. With numbers like these, it is clear that Edvinsson is a solid all-around defenseman.
With Edvinsson already being a proven top-four defenseman, he would help Toronto out immensely if acquired. Yet, he also still has the potential to become a true top-pairing defenseman. If the Maple Leafs acquired him and he broke out, he’d help them take a step forward in their retool.
With that, it would make all the sense in the world for Toronto to swing a bold trade for Edvinsson. It will be intriguing to see if they pursue him from here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Urged to Swing Big Trade for Red Wings Star Defenseman