Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumours: Nylander Buzz

The Toronto Maple Leafs are no strangers to speculation, but this offseason feels different. After firing general manager Brad Treliving and watching their 2025-26 campaign unravel in the standings, the franchise faces questions that go beyond the usual trade chatter — and fans are watching closely to see what comes next. The latest buzz centers on whether core players like William Nylander could actually be on the move, with insiders reporting that the Leafs are open to sweeping changes to their roster mix. Here’s what we know from verified sources so far.

Speculated Trade Target: William Nylander · Recent Signing: Landon Sim (2-year ELC) · Goaltender Status: Joseph Woll returned from leave · Rumor Source: The Hockey Writers / Hockey Patrol

The table below consolidates confirmed and rumoured details to help readers track what is settled versus what remains speculative as the offseason unfolds.

Who are the Leafs rumored to trade?

Following a 2025-26 season that saw the Maple Leafs fall short of playoff expectations, the organization is signaling willingness to move bodies this summer. According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, the Leafs are “reportedly ready to move players out this summer to change the roster mix.” The exit interviews in March 2026 featured Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Matthew Knies, and Joseph Woll — a roster that now faces an uncertain future under new leadership.

Auston Matthews?

Matthews remains the franchise’s cornerstone, yet trade speculation refuses to die. Sports analysts Bryan Hayes and Jonas Siegel place the odds at roughly 35% that either Matthews or Nylander will not be in Toronto come summer’s end. Matthews himself has reportedly indicated a desire to remain and compete for playoffs, though his long-term contract status means any departure would require his explicit request. The implication: unless Matthews asks out, the Leafs are unlikely to move their captain voluntarily.

William Nylander?

Nylander has emerged as the most talked-about trade candidate. Per Nick Kypreos, the Leafs held conversations about moving Nylander at the 2026 trade deadline, with Kypreos stating that a deal involving him “wouldn’t shock anyone.” Elliotte Friedman’s reporting countered that Nylander was not being dealt at the deadline, suggesting the talks were exploratory rather than imminent. The catch: Nylander himself set the terms in past comments, saying he’d consider a trade only “if it was a full rebuild and we were going to get rid of everybody.” His contract runs for six more seasons after 2025-26, worth approximately $11.5 million annually, making any deal a significant cap commitment for a 29-year-old winger. What this means: the Leafs face a narrow window — Nylander must buy into a rebuild narrative, or his value as a trade chip remains theoretical.

Morgan Rielly?

Of the three core names, Rielly presents the most realistic trade scenario. He carries a $7.5 million cap hit through 2030 and holds a full no-move clause, but teams inquired about his availability during the week of the 2026 trade deadline. Trading Rielly’s contract would free up meaningful cap flexibility to improve the lineup around Matthews and Nylander. His play has reportedly declined over recent seasons, which could lower his trade return — a consideration for any new GM weighing asset value against cap relief.

Could the Leafs trade Nylander?

The Nylander situation carries the most intrigue. Discussions were held at the 2026 trade deadline, though sources emphasized the team was not seriously considering moving him at that time. The speculation stems from the Leafs’ broader turmoil: a failed season, the GM’s firing, and the reality that Nylander is now less “untouchable” as a trade chip when the team isn’t winning.

Trade proposal details?

One proposed framework involved sending Nylander to the Seattle Kraken for Jared McCann plus draft picks. The return would give Toronto a younger, cheaper forward and accumulated assets for a rebuild. No formal offers have been confirmed, and the proposal remains in the rumor stage without verification from team sources.

Reasons for buzz?

Three factors fuel Nylander trade speculation: his contract complexity at age 29, the team’s apparent openness to major moves, and his own conditional willingness to discuss a trade under a full rebuild scenario. The Leafs are reportedly considering a retool that keeps Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, and Knies while changing others — but the line between retool and rebuild remains blurred, and Nylander’s status could shift depending on which direction the new GM takes.

Who just signed with the Leafs?

While trade speculation dominates headlines, the Leafs quietly added to their organizational depth by signing Landon Sim to a two-year entry-level contract. Sim, a forward, had been pursuing an NHL opportunity, and the deal represents a low-risk bet on a player who could develop into a bottom-six contributor. The contract carries entry-level cap implications but no long-term financial exposure.

Contract details?

The two-year ELC keeps Sim in the system at league-minimum salary for two seasons, providing the Leafs with roster flexibility and a potential call-up option for injury coverage. Entry-level contracts include performance bonuses that could trigger if Sim exceeds expectations, but the baseline cost is negligible against the cap.

Impact on roster?

Sim’s addition doesn’t directly affect the trade calculus for Nylander or Matthews, but it signals that the Leafs are building organizational depth alongside whatever roster changes come this summer. With McMann, Laughton, and Roy already departed, Sim adds bodies to a pipeline that may need replenishing if core players leave.

Why is Joseph Woll taking a leave of absence?

Goaltender Joseph Woll stepped away briefly before returning to the team, drawing attention given his importance to the Leafs’ future plans. Woll, 25, was in his fourth pro season and had posted a 3.01 goals-against average with a .906 save percentage across 17 appearances before his leave. The circumstances of the absence were not detailed publicly, but the Leafs organization expressed enthusiasm upon his return.

Return status?

Woll has returned to the team and is expected to resume his role as a developing netminder. His timeline for full practices or game action wasn’t specified, but sources close to the organization described the team as “pumped” to have him back. Woll’s trajectory matters because the Leafs have relied on him as a potential starter alongside Anthony Stolarz, and any disruption to his development affects the team’s goaltending picture.

Team reaction?

The organization’s positive response to Woll’s return reflects both his performance value and the personal dimension of player well-being. With the Leafs undergoing significant roster uncertainty, maintaining internal stability — including goaltending continuity — becomes a quiet priority for the new GM to address.

Do Nylander and Marner get along?

Fan speculation about tension between William Nylander and Mitchell Marner has circulated for years, though players have addressed it directly. After a 2024-25 season in which Marner commented about not “thinking of leaving” the Maple Leafs, Nylander weighed in with his own perspective — suggesting the relationship between the two core forwards has weathered public scrutiny without visible fractures. Off-ice dynamics rarely drive trade decisions in the NHL, but given Marner’s pending unrestricted free agent status, any friction could factor into future roster planning.

Offseason comments?

Neither Nylander nor Marner has publicly expressed desire to leave Toronto together. Marner’s recent comments reflected a willingness to stay, and Nylander’s conditional openness to a trade applies only to a full rebuild scenario. The pattern: both players have left the door open to their futures but have not demanded exits.

Trade implications?

If the Leafs move Marner as a free-agent departure rather than a trade, it would free significant cap space — potentially opening room to retain Nylander or pursue upgrades elsewhere. Whether Marner re-signs in Toronto, takes a qualifying offer, or tests the market remains a parallel storyline to the Nylander trade buzz. For now, the two situations are linked only by the organization’s broader roster uncertainty.

Timeline of events

Nine players were discussed as potential trade candidates — here’s how the key moments stacked up through the 2025-26 season and into the offseason.

• March 2026 — Trade Deadline: Leafs traded Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Nicolas Roy for draft picks but held onto Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz. (The Hockey Writers trade analysis)
• March 2026 — Nylander Talks: Nick Kypreos reported Toronto held conversations about trading William Nylander. Elliotte Friedman countered that Nylander was not being dealt. (Hockey Patrol Nylander report)
• March 2026 — Rielly Inquiries: Multiple teams inquired about Morgan Rielly during deadline week; he holds a full no-move clause. (YouTube trade update video)
• April 2026 — Exit Interviews: Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Rielly, Knies, and Woll met with reporters as the 2025-26 season closed. (YouTube Leafs Digest coverage)
• April 2026 — GM Fired: Brad Treliving was dismissed, triggering a search for new leadership to guide the roster’s direction. (Editor in Leaf Maple Leafs analysis)
• Summer 2026 — Trade Probability: TSN analysts estimated a 35% chance either Matthews or Nylander would leave Toronto, per Bryan Hayes and Jonas Siegel. (Dose.ca TSN analyst commentary)

What we know vs. what’s rumored

Sorting confirmed moves from pure speculation matters for anyone trying to follow the Leafs’ direction this summer.

“They were open to conversations about Willy, and that shouldn’t shock anyone.”

— Nick Kypreos, NHL Insider (The Hockey Writers)

“Unless it was a full rebuild and we were going to get rid of everybody, then it’s a different story. Then you take that conversation then.”

— William Nylander, Maple Leafs Forward (Editor in Leaf)

“I’d say there’s a 35% chance one of them won’t be in Toronto.”

— Bryan Hayes, TSN Analyst (Dose.ca)

The Leafs are at a crossroads, and the difference between a retool and a rebuild will define the next GM’s first major decision. Rielly looks like the most realistic candidate to move — his contract is movable with a willing partner, and his cap hit would fund improvements elsewhere. Nylander’s situation is more conditional: he hasn’t closed the door on a trade, but only if the organization commits to blowing up the core. Matthews remains the wildcard, and his reported desire to stay gives the new GM leverage to build around him rather than trade him. The upcoming decisions will either reshape the franchise for years or confirm that the current core deserves one more chance to prove the critics wrong.

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Toronto Maple Leafs latest trade and contract buzz also spotlights Nylander amid deadline talks and inquiries for Rielly and Matthews.

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