Should the Leafs trade Anthony Stolarz for a top-six forward?

With free agency and the 2025 NHL draft all seemingly wrapped up, the Toronto Maple Leafs look to the trade market for their next move. Following a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, which sent Mitch Marner to Vegas in exchange for Nicolas Roy, the Leafs’ bottom-six seems complete.

With there being a glaring hole on the right side of this Leafs top-six and the free agency class looking sparse, the Leafs will likely have to look at the rest of the league for a potential blockbuster trade. The Leafs are looking thin in terms of draft picks with no first-round picks until 2028, and they seemingly are not interested in trading their prize possession pick in Easton Cowan or Ben Danford.

Who to trade?

There isn’t much to trade off the forward corps, and this is the best defensive corps they have had in the Matthews era, and it would be foolish to break it apart. With two star goalies on the team and some critical holes in the roster that need to be addressed, the Leafs might have to look at moving off one of them to help bolster their forward core.

The Leafs have the rare privilege of having two great goalies in Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Woll is signed through to 2027–28 and is the goalie who developed with the team. Stolarz, on the other hand, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this upcoming season and will probably demand a big pay raise.

Stolarz is coming off his best season and is at the peak of his value. In 34 games played last season, Stolarz put up a very respectable 21 wins with a .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average. This statline put him first in the league for save percentage and third in the league for goals against average.

While he was initially brought in as a backup for Woll, his play has helped him emerge as a legitimate star goalie in this league, and the Leafs will have to make a very important decision: they will either have to give Stolarz the money he rightfully deserves or look at potentially moving him. With Mitch Marner now officially gone, the Leafs have a glaring 100-point hole on the right side that has yet to be addressed. While a player of his calibre is hard to come by, a potential Stolarz trade package could help the Leafs get a top-six forward they potentially need.

Potential trades

Moving Stolarz would allow the Leafs greater cap flexibility to get a cheaper backup goalie or allow the team to fill weaknesses around the roster, whether that may be a puck-moving defenceman or a top-six forward.

One of the names that the Leafs could target is Jordan Kyrou. The Toronto-born right winger is currently 27 and in the prime of his career. Another top two-way star, he would slot in perfectly alongside Auston Matthews. Kyrou would also be more than just a deadline rental as he is signed until 2031 with a cap hit of $8.125M. This would be a great fit for the Leafs, considering that Kyrou has played under Berube, and it would be a familiar fit (even if they didn’t exactly get along).

With the Pittsburgh Penguins looking to move into their next era, another cheaper option for the Leafs to pursue would be Rickard Rakell. The Swedish forward is currently signed till 2028 on a $5M cap hit. This would be a more attainable and affordable option for the Leafs with a trade package that will not require as many pieces. The only real hurdle will be the Leafs attempting to work with former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas.

Selling early

Anthony Stolarz’s season with the Maple Leafs made him a star in the league and an enticing trade piece with a low cap hit. But a long-term extension could take much-needed cap space away from the rest of the lineup.

With Woll secured and becoming a legitimate homegrown starter, it would be smart for the Leafs to look at what kind of return Stolarz can get in what is an especially thin goalie market. If the Leafs are serious about changing their identity and becoming a playoff threat, now is the time to act on Stolarz’s increasing value and bring in a top-six winger who can help round out the next era of Leafs hockey.