Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Insider makes major announcement on Maple Leafs' trade-deadline plans

Originally posted on Hockey Patrol | By Chris Gerics | Last updated Mar 5, 2025 9:57 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs are most likely making a deal come Friday's trade deadline and a new report has all but confirmed that things will be looking different.

Friday at 3 p.m. is the deadline for NHL teams to make a deal before the rosters essentially freeze ahead of the playoffs (no trades can be made). With the Maple Leafs looking to be buyers, there's no shortage of pressure on GM Brad Treliving to do something.

But by doing something, that means the current crop of players will change, and there may be some pieces headed out. While it's not certain, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger of TSN, it's a very likely possibility.

"What I know is the Maple Leafs because of the cap situation, they are right on the cap line, they are going to look different on Friday after the deadline, players coming in means players going out," Dreger said.

So, who could the Maple Leafs be sending out in hopes of bringing in the right pieces?

Toronto's Potential Trade Pieces Come Friday

There aren't a ton of wildly intriguing pieces that the Maple Leafs could get rid of either via trade or by waivers, though there are some likely candidates.

If Toronto brings in a couple of bottom-six forwards, that could spell the end for Ryan Reaves and Connor Dewar.

Both players haven't made much of an impact, and if the team can replace them with actual productive players, it has to improve.

Reaves makes $1.35M and Dewar makes $1.18M, and combined, that would get their number a bit closer to the cap and a more reasonable way to cut costs.

There's also the case of keeping Jani Hakanpaa on LTIR to save his deal, which gives the Leafs about an extra $1M to work with.

Toronto could also part ways with defensive center David Kampf now that Calle Jarnkrok is back in action, and dumping his $2.4M contract off would be a godsend for Treliving.

It can also trade either Philippe Myers or Conor Timmins to make room, although it would most likely be replacing them with another defenseman in a deal.

Those names aren't going to generate a ton of buzz, but if the team can find a taker, it needs to hop on it. Kampf is the only one who would make any real impact, but finding someone to absorb his deal won't be easy.

Whoever comes in either before or on Friday, there's going to be a much different roster the next time Toronto takes the ice.

Let's all just hope that the moves being made end up being the ones that finally push the Leafs over the top.

This article first appeared on Hockey Patrol and was syndicated with permission.

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