The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a terrible start to the 2025-26 season. They are now at the 20 game mark and they have an 9-9-2 record and just snapped a five game losing streak. Which has everyone wondering, what is going to happen if they can’t figure it out?
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Well, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed that on this past Saturday’s edition of Saturday Headlines. He mentioned that the Maple Leafs are interested in doing a roster-for-roster trade. Essentially, player in for player out, which as most members of Leafs Nation know, is going to be very difficult to pull off. But if things don’t change, something has to give and that could mean that one of these three players could be on the move in a roster-for-roster trade this season.
Dakota Joshua
First up, Dakota Joshua, who was acquired during the summer from the Vancouver Canucks, hasn’t really worked out. No, he was never going to give you 20 goals in a season. But he looks very slow and at times disengaged. However, that is not going to be the reason why he is traded, it would be because of his cap hit. He is in the second year of a four year deal, which carries a cap hit of 3.25 million dollars. If the Maple Leafs are going to look for a roster-for-roster trade, they will need to find a way to move out dollar for dollar, unless the player they are acquiring makes less than Joshua.
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He definitely is not a bad player, he brings a ton of physicality to a team’s bottom six. The issue is, it seems like they have too many of these style players in their bottom six and they need some offensive production from years past. He could be a player that contending teams are interested in, and if he is in the right lineup, he could thrive. A team that comes to mind would be the Philadelphia Flyers, who have been notorious for having a good balance of speed, skill, and physicality.
Calle Jarnkrok
Next up, one of the most talked about trade candidates on the Maple Leafs, Calle Jarnkrok. It seems almost a monthly occurrence that his name gets brought up in trade talks. However, this could finally be the year that he is dealt. He is in the final year of a four year deal with a cap hit of 2.1 million dollars. Because of that, he could be more attractive as a bottom six forward. He does bring quite a bit to a lineup, he has a very good shot, he plays hard, and he forechecks well. Plus, on the defensive side of the puck, he is solid. He can be used on the penalty kill and with his speed and tenacity, he performs very well.
Over his four years with the Maple Leafs, he has been one of their best penalty killers. A team like the Canucks comes to mind when thinking about a new opportunity for Jarnkrok. He and David Kampf play a similar style, and with Kampf signing with the Canucks this weekend, it could make them a suitor for a player like Jarnkrok, who could fit into their bottom six and help solidify it.
Brandon Carlo
Lastly, Brandon Carlo. His time with the Maple Leafs hasn’t been good. Obviously, when you think about who and what the club gave up to acquire him at last season’s trade deadline, it does make it worse. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like he has fit in well, even after an offseason to get used to the organization. At times, he looks disengaged, he is not nearly as physical as he was with the Boston Bruins, and when he is paired with Morgan Rielly, which is almost always, they are getting beat rather easily. That is not to say he is not a good defender, he has been good throughout his career, but it looks like since joining the Maple Leafs, he has not necessarily been a good fit.
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And because of that, it makes sense for Brad Treliving to look around and see what they could bring in for him. Plus, he has one year left on his contract at only 4.1 million dollars, which could make him a bit more of a sought after asset. He does have a modified no trade clause, but that is only an eight team trade list. So, there is a good chance that if the organization was serious about trading him, they could find a suitor or maybe use him in a bigger trade for a player like Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames. Either way, there is a real chance that he could be on the move if things do not turn around in Toronto.
