NHL Trade Rumors: Insider Reveals Oilers And Maple Leafs Held Talks Before The Freeze, And It Wasn’t About Bobby McMann

Speaking on The Sheet podcast with Jeff Marek, Pagnotta revealed that the Oilers and Maple Leafs were in discussions leading up to the Olympic roster freeze.

“There was some word out of Edmonton that leading up to this freeze that they have been having discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Pagnotta said on the podcast.

Pagnotta added that while McMann has been widely linked to trade rumors, his name was not part of those specific conversations.

“I don’t know the specifics of where they’re going, I’m going to speculate a little bit, and it wasn’t Bobby McMann,” Pagnotta added. “I know there was a lot of intention and speculation about Bobby McMann, but going into the week, I know they haven’t spoken about McMann.”

Instead, Pagnotta suggested two other names that could have been discussed between the two teams.

“But it sounds like maybe it’s Nic Roy, maybe it’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Those are two players I would not be shocked if they’ve poked on,” he said. “I was told by a couple of people that the Oilers and Leafs had conversations leading up to the freeze, and that may be something to keep an eye on out of the break.”

Roy was acquired by Toronto in the Mitch Marner trade and has played a depth role this season. The 29-year-old has five goals and 20 points in 54 games.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, meanwhile, has been one of Toronto’s most reliable players. The 34-year-old defenseman has eight goals and 34 points in 57 games and has arguably been the Leafs’ best blueliner this season. He is signed through the 2027-28 season with a $3.75 million cap hit, making him a valuable piece in any trade discussion.