"I saw that they had empty stalls and that's the business of it. It sucks, those are great guys. I've played with Bobby [McMann] for three years, O [Ekman-Larsson] for two and Laughty [Laughton] for one. You get to know those guys so well, so it's a crappy feeling not being able to suit up next to them and play with them."
"The Maple Leafs find themselves eight points back of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot, leaving the door open for the team to move players before the deadline, with the hope of recouping assets for a team that only holds three draft selections in 2026 and no first-round draft pick until 2028."
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a challenging situation as they sit eight points behind the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot, prompting management to consider selling at the trade deadline. The team scratched Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for roster management, signaling potential trades ahead. With only three draft selections in 2026 and no first-round pick until 2028, the organization seeks to recoup assets. McMann and Laughton are prime trade candidates due to their pending unrestricted free agent status and low cap hits, while Ekman-Larsson's no-trade clause complicates his potential departure. Teammates acknowledge the emotional difficulty of losing integral locker room contributors.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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