The Toronto Maple Leafs missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, and the response from the front office has been anything but passive. They’ve already made one trade — shipping Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to Philadelphia for Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson, and a 2026 third-round pick. That deal wasn’t just about clearing cap space. It set the table for something bigger.
What the Leafs need most is a reliable second-line center behind Auston Matthews — someone with proven offensive production who can also play a rugged, two-way game. Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers fits that description perfectly. The Rangers are listening. And Toronto has a package that could get it done without surrendering their top prospect, Matthew Knies.
According to reports, New York would love to land Knies in any Trocheck negotiation. That’s not happening. Instead, the Leafs can build a competitive offer around draft capital, two prospects, and a goaltender they just acquired but don’t really need.
Draft picks that add up
The Rangers want to get younger, and draft picks are a clean way to achieve that. New York will likely ask for a first-rounder, but Toronto isn’t in a position to give one away. The Leafs don’t own their own first-round pick in either of the next two drafts. They do have Colorado’s first-round pick next year, and two first-round selections in 2027, but those are assets the front office likely wants to keep for future flexibility.
Instead, the Leafs can replicate second-round value using a combination of picks. They hold the 69th overall selection in this year’s draft — their own third-rounder — plus the 85th pick from the Flyers. According to PuckPedia’s pick value chart, stacking that 69th pick with Toronto’s own fifth-rounder (133rd overall) comes close to matching the value of a mid-second-round pick. For a Rangers team looking to restock, that kind of aggregate value could be appealing, even if it lacks a single premium slot.
Two prospects with upside
If not Knies, the Rangers could target Easton Cowan, but the Leafs are more willing to move Ben Danford. The 20-year-old defenseman, taken 31st overall in 2024, projects as a potential top-four blueliner but needs time to develop his offensive game. With Emil Andrae now in the organization as a young, NHL-ready defenseman — a player The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun said the Leafs are “excited about” — Danford becomes expendable.
Joining Danford in a potential package is forward Luke Haymes, a more NHL-ready piece. After a strong three-year run at Dartmouth, Haymes signed with Toronto and produced 17 goals and 16 assists in 66 AHL games this season. He also made his NHL debut, logging four games and picking up a point. That level of production from a 22-year-old forward should interest a Rangers team looking to inject youth into its lineup.
One more piece: a backup goalie
To push the deal over the finish line, the Leafs can include Samuel Ersson, the netminder they just acquired from the Flyers. Toronto has Dennis Hildeby under contract for two more years, and Artur Akhtyamov has been outstanding in the AHL playoffs — 14-6 with a 2.10 GAA and a .928 save percentage, leading the Marlies to a 3-0 lead in the Calder Cup Final. One of them can step into the backup role behind Anthony Stolarz.
Meanwhile, the Rangers need a new No. 2 behind Igor Shesterkin after Jonathan Quick retired. Ersson has 26 games of NHL experience and could fill that role immediately while Dylan Garand continues developing in the AHL.
No deal is imminent, and the Rangers have not publicly indicated they’re shopping Trocheck. But the pieces are in place for Toronto to make a compelling offer — one that doesn’t mortgage the future but fills the most glaring hole on the roster.
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