The Toronto Maple Leafs are expecting to put together a bounce-back campaign during the 2026-27 season.
It is understandable, as they brought in a lot of new talent since the end of last season. A handful of the Maple Leafs’ top new additions are Kirill Marchenko, Darren Raddysh, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Jack Roslovic.
Yet, when looking at the Maple Leafs’ current group, it is fair to wonder if they could look to make another big move in the near future. One of their top needs is another impactful left-shot defenseman. They are now being linked to one of the NHL’s top trade candidate blueliners because of it.
Toronto Maple Leafs Named a Top Trade Destination for Red Wings Defenseman Simon Edvinsson
In a recent article for NHL Trade Rumors, Dave Litman named the Maple Leafs among the top potential landing spots for disgruntled Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson.
“The ink hadn’t even dried on Kirill Marchenko’s new sign-and-trade extension with the Leafs before word emerged that GM John Chayka wasn’t done yet with the overhaul of his roster. The blueline is clearly the next target, and if it’s another big swing he’s looking for, it doesn’t get much bigger than this,” Litman wrote about the Leafs and Edvinsson.
With the Maple Leafs needing another defenseman, it makes sense that they have been named a top landing spot for Edvinsson. He would be a major pickup for Toronto’s defensive group if acquired. This is especially so when noting that he is only 23 years old and has time to improve his game further.
Why Edvinsson Could Fit With the Maple Leafs
When looking at the Maple Leafs’ current blueline, Edvinsson could slot perfectly in their top four. He would have the potential to work with on a pairing with shutdown defenseman Chris Tanev. This would allow Edvinsson to take more chances offensively, which could benefit him nicely.
Edvinsson would also give the Maple Leafs another puck-moving defenseman to consider for their power play. The young blueliner has shown promise with his offensive game early in his career. Yet, perhaps getting a fresh start on a team like Toronto could help him take that next step.
Looking at Edvinsson
Edvinsson was selected by the Red Wings in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, sixth overall. Since then, he has posted 19 goals, 60 points, 217 hits, and a plus-17 rating in 175 career NHL games with Detroit.
Edvinsson scored a career-high nine goals and recorded 25 points in 72 games with Detroit last season. This was after he posted a career-high 31 points in 78 games with the Red Wings in 2024-25. With numbers like these, he would be a nice pickup for a team like Toronto.
Toronto Maple Leafs Named Top Trade Landing Spot for Red Wings Young Star