There shouldn’t be a whole lot of stock put into the first few games of the 2025-26 season. However, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it still looks like they could use more help up front.
Still in the market for a top-six winger, there isn’t a whole lot on the trade market, but things could change as the season progresses where they can look to target players outside of the playoff picture. One team they should look closely at is the Buffalo Sabres as they’re off to another rough start.
Starting off 0-3 with 10 goals allowed so far, there’s once again a sense of frustration where even the star players have expressed their displeasure. Per Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast things are getting “into dangerous territory” with both Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson as they stated that there needs to be improvements this season, giving management a short leash. (07:38 mark). When the star players are saying this early on, the tensions are already growing and things could get very ugly soon if they continue this way.
Thompson an Ideal Top-Six Forward
The Sabres continue to search for answers where on paper, they should be a better team than their play suggests. However, when two of your top players start giving management a deadline for results and to get back on track, you know things are starting to get to a boiling point.This isn’t the first time where the struggles were glaring and things began to be more magnified.
Sabres owner Terry Pegula met with the team in Montreal last season when they were in the midst of a 10-game losing streak. This season, patience is wearing thin even though there shouldn’t be this much of a reaction. However; getting shutout by the New York Rangers in the season opener, a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins where they were outshot 17-2 in the first period and a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche isn’t giving them much confidence.
Given how the Sabres continue to have bad results and struggle out of the gate each season, could this be the season where the stars truly become fed up if things aren’t addressed? While there is no speculation and no major moves are imminent, if and when the rumours do start to swirl, the Maple Leafs should keep an eye on the Sabres’ situation and shouldn’t hesitate to make a run for Thompson as he’s everything they want in a top line, power forward winger.
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Since he broke out with a 38-goal campaign in 2021-22, Thompson ranks 12th overall in goals with 159 and 38th in points with 291 since then. He’s a two- time 40-goal scorer (scoring 47 in 2022-23) and is one of the top sharp shooters in the game right now. Through three games, he has only one of the two goals for the Sabres. His expected goals for percentage at five-on-five is at 56.39% and his scoring chances for percentage is at 58.06%. He can still directly impact the game offensively, despite the team struggling now.
The blend of his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame and offensive output really makes him a force in this league, even though he may not be very physical, he’s not afraid to play the body and battles intensely for the puck. The Maple Leafs tried to add pieces in order to fill the hole temporarily, but Thompson would instantly fix that.
Maple Leafs Should Put Everything on Table
It’s clear that the Maple Leafs don’t have the deepest prospect pool. While they have some interesting names, they don’t have plenty of blue-chip prospects to move for a big-name talent, like Thompson. However, everything should be put on the table to acquire him. Whether that’ll be enough remains to be seen.
With the salary cap increasing, bringing in Thompson’s $7.14 million cap hit would be extremely valuable given his ability to be a premiere goal scorer. He’s in the third year of that deal and he has a modified no-trade clause where he can submit a five-team no trade list. If the Maple Leafs aren’t on that list, that’s getting by step one. Second, would be the price. Bringing in a player like him, Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, other prospects, roster pieces and picks would surely be on the table.
Is that enough to outbid other teams? Probably not. But if Toronto is one of Thompson’s top destinations, joining other fellow Arizona natives in Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies could be enticing for him. He would control where he wants to go and that could also play into his hands as well as the Maple Leafs.
Again, there’s nothing imminent in any trade for Thompson. However, given the report made by Friedman, should things continue to spiral out of control for the Sabres and Thompson remains unhappy, there could be massive changes. If the team’s two top players are already showing their displeasure, the clock is already ticking and time is running out for the organization to make meaningful changes and be competitive.
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There has been a history of players moving on from Buffalo to have success elsewhere. Jack Eichel with the Vegas Golden Knights, Sam Reinhart with the Florida Panthers and Dylan Cozens who appears to be a good fit with the Ottawa Senators.
The Maple Leafs, if they’re able to pull off a move, could definitely be an ideal landing spot for Thompson given his play style and offensive output. He’s powerful, can find the back of the net and play on a team that has aspirations of going on a deep run.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and NHL.