With only two days until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, there is going to be a ton of news circulating about where players may end up. This time of year, there are news and rumors daily—and rightfully so, as this is Christmas for hockey writers. For NHL teams, though, they work with management groups and pro scouting teams to try and find the best fits for their roster. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a very important next 48 hours. They are a very good team with some flaws, much like every other contending team in the league. However, their biggest flaw is the lack of depth scoring.
They have really struggled to score goals in their bottom six. Looking at the numbers, Max Domi, who should have 12–15 goals this season, has four—and only one since December when he scored the other three. Nick Robertson has 11 goals, Pontus Holmberg has six, Max Pacioretty has six, Steven Lorentz has five, David Kämpf has four, and both Ryan Reaves and Connor Dewar have zero. That’s a total of 36 goals from their bottom six. Their top six, which includes Bobby McMann since he should be playing up in the lineup, has scored 140 goals. It makes sense for the top guys in the lineup to score more, but having a 104-goal difference will make it harder to win down the stretch and into the playoffs when you have to constantly rely on the best scorers to do everything.
Related: 2025 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
That’s why the Maple Leafs should target inexpensive forwards for their bottom six—players who can score goals and take some pressure off the top forwards. After some research, here are three options that Toronto should look to acquire.
Luke Kunin – San Jose Sharks
Starting with Luke Kunin of the San Jose Sharks, who could be the cheapest option on this list. He checks a lot of boxes for the Maple Leafs. He’s a right-handed shooting center who can step into the third-line center role and isn’t afraid to be physical when needed. While he doesn’t score a ton compared to other trade targets, he offers a more defensively sound style of play. Currently, he has 11 goals, which would tie him with Robertson. However, in past years, he has hit 15 goals, which is doable again this season.
The key to adding Kunin is that he can kill penalties and is a right-handed shooting center—something the Maple Leafs desperately need. If Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving can get creative, he may be able to pull both Kunin and someone like Mario Ferraro from the Sharks in a two-for-one-style trade.
Ryan Donato – Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks has to be one of the most obvious choices for the Maple Leafs. They need help down the middle, and if they can fix that problem while also addressing their depth scoring issues, it would be a win-win for Treliving. Donato is on a struggling Blackhawks team, meaning the price to acquire him won’t be too high. If the Maple Leafs can meet the asking price, they would be getting a versatile forward who has scored 22 goals this season. That would put him 11 goals ahead of Robertson. If he continues this pace with a new team, he could hit 30 goals by the end of the season, which would be a huge boost to the bottom six. For reference, Donato has the same number of goals as Auston Matthews this season and is only two behind John Tavares.
Related: 3 Maple Leafs’ Trade Targets From Canadiens-Sabres Game
At this time, it has not been reported what the asking price would be. However, if Treliving wants to add depth scoring as well as center depth, he may need to part with a second-round pick or a higher-end prospect to acquire Donato.
Scott Laughton – Philadelphia Flyers
Lastly, Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers. He may be one of the most talked-about targets for the Maple Leafs since Wayne Simmonds. Every year, there are rumors about Laughton being linked to Toronto, and every year, he remains with Philadelphia. However, this year could finally be the one. Laughton is a hometown kid who could join the team he grew up cheering for and try to help take them to the Stanley Cup Final. This season, his goal scoring has been slightly down—through 59 games, he has 11 goals. However, in past seasons, he has been in the 18-19 goal range. Like Donato, he can play center on the third line and be the responsible centerman the Maple Leafs desperately need. Although his goal total is lower this season, a change of scenery could help.
Right now, reports indicate that the asking price is a first-round pick. Treliving will have to decide if he’s willing to pay that price to improve the roster. He won’t want to trade Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, or Nikita Grebyonkin unless the deal would create a major shift within the organization. So parting with a first-round pick for Laughton may be the ideal path.
Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, and Alex Tuch are also names the Maple Leafs may have interest in. If they were to acquire one of them, it would allow Craig Berube to push McMann down into the bottom six, spreading out the depth scoring. However, bringing in one of the three names listed above would still have a strong impact on the team and help improve depth scoring.
Trade Deadline day is only two days away, meaning a Maple Leafs trade could happen at any time. It’ll be interesting to see how this team looks at the end of the day on Friday, March 7.
