Trade Pitch Has Maple Leafs Acquiring Former 1st Overall Pick From Panthers

Getty Trade pitch sends Aaron Ekbld to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A fan-made trade pitch on PuckPedia would have the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring former first overall pick and Stanley Cup champion Aaron Ekblad from the Florida Panthers.

In one blockbuster scenario devised using PuckGM, a new interactive tool on PuckPedia, Ekblad, whose name has come up in trade rumors since Florida won the Stanley Cup, would get sent to Toronto for four players and two draft picks.

Maple Leafs get:

• Aaron Ekblad
• Carter Verhaeghe

Panthers get:

• Timothy Liljegren
• Nick Robertson
• Calle Jarnkrok
• Bobby McMann
• 2027 first-round pick
• 2025 second-round pick (Florida’s)

Ekblad, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, would immediately bolster Toronto’s defense, while Verhaeghe would return to the team that drafted him in 2013 and give the forward group a nice boost of offense.

Florida, meanwhile, would get to clear some much-needed cap while also getting some impact NHL players. Timothy Liljegren would help replace Ekblad while Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok and Bobby McMann could all slot into the Panthers’ lineup on forward.

As well as the players, Florida would get a first-round draft pick as well as their 2025 second-round draft pick which they can use in other trades or keep them.

Ekblad on Trade Block

Ahead of NHL free agency on July 1, NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period revealed Ekblad was on the trade block for the Panthers.

“According to multiple well-placed sources, the Panthers are shopping 2014 first-overall pick Aaron Ekblad, who is entering the final year of his contract, and have already had discussions with some teams about his availability. Ekblad, 28, will see his full no-movement clause shift to a 12-team no-trade list July 1, when he is also due a $3 million signing bonus,” Pagnotta wrote in his article on June 27.

Pagnotta listed three teams, including Toronto, that could be interested in trading for Ekblad, who has one year left on his eight-year, $60 million deal with Florida.

“Several teams are looking to acquire a top-pair defenceman, especially one with a right shot, most prominent being the Utah Hockey Club, Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators,” Pagnotta added.

Ekblad has skated in 676 career NHL games recording 115 goals and 232 assists for 347 points.

Maple Leafs GM Pleased With Improvements on Defense

Toronto focused on improving their defense in the offseason as the Maple Leafs signed Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in free agency.

The Maple Leafs also re-signed RFA Liljegren to a two-year deal, and after the signings, Maple Leafs general Brad Trelivng was excited about the moves he made to the defense.

“When I look at the defense right now, I think it has a good blend. You have some puck movers, you have some size, you have some penalty killing. We have lefties and righties. Defensemen are so hard to get. It opens up different options for us as we move forward in the summer. It certainly gives the coaching staff a lot of options with a lot of different guys who can do a lot of different jobs,” Treliving said on July 1.

Toronto was eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season by the Boston Bruins.