Recently, I wrote an article discussing the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ top three trade candidates for the 2023-24 season. Although there are some clear Maple Leafs to watch in trade talk during the 2023-24 season, they also have other players who could become surprising trade candidates depending on how the campaign goes. Let’s discuss three of their dark horse trade candidates now.
Max Domi
It seemed inevitable that Max Domi would one day follow in his father’s (Tie Domi) footsteps and join the Maple Leafs. Thus, that made his one-year deal with the Original Six club not too surprising to see this offseason. However, when noting that Domi is only signed for the season, his long-term future with the club is not set in stone.
If Domi does not mesh well in the Maple Leafs’ system or if they look to a high-impact forward at the deadline, a potential trade could be in the cards. Domi has some trade protection, as he carries a 10-team no-trade list, but that would not be too challenging to work around if the Maple Leafs eventually wish to.
Domi, 28, has had a bit of a slow start with his new team, posting one assist and a minus-3 rating in four games. The season is quite young, so he should pick it up. However, if the Maple Leafs feel that he is not a good fit or they want to better their roster elsewhere, don’t be surprised if Domi is traded for the fifth time in his career and the third season in a row.
John Klingberg
John Klingberg is another offseason addition who could emerge as a trade candidate later in the season. The right-shot defenceman was somewhat surprisingly inked to a one-year contract by the Maple Leafs during free agency, so like Domi, his time in Toronto could also be short-lived if he does mesh well in their system. So far, he has three assists in four games as a Leaf, but he also has made costly mistakes with his defence and sports a minus-3 rating.
If Klingberg’s shaky play carries on as the season continues, they could look for an upgrade on the right side before the deadline passes. Team defence has been a clear issue for the Maple Leafs during this young season, and replacing Klingberg with a top-four shutdown defenceman could be worthwhile because of it. He does, however, have a 10-team no-trade list like Domi.
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Yet, if Klingberg’s play improves and proves to be a great addition to the Maple Leafs’ blue line and power play, he should stay put past the deadline. It will be interesting to see what the Maple Leafs decide to do with Klingberg later this season from here.
Ilya Samsonov
Ilya Samsonov could also be a Maple Leaf to watch closely as the season continues. The 2015 first-round pick is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this offseason and could be expendable if he does not replicate last season’s solid play. So far, Samsonov’s season has been pretty rough. In three appearances, he has a 2-1-0 record, a rough .861 save percentage (SV%), and a 3.67 goals-against average (GAA). He did, however, have a solid start against the Florida Panthers last game, saving 21 out of 23 shots.
With the Maple Leafs having Stanley Cup aspirations, they will try to assemble the best roster possible before the deadline passes. If Samsonov’s shakiness proves to be a long-term issue throughout the season, the Maple Leafs could use him and other assets to get an upgrade in net. However, if he is as solid as last season, the Maple Leafs would likely keep him around.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs trade Domi, Klingberg, and/or Samsonov before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline passes. Although they may not stand out as their most prominent trade candidates, things could change depending on how their season plays out.
