Maple Leafs fans can add another dose of “what could have been” to this season. Former players Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton are already making an impact with their new teams following the deadline.
Meanwhile, fans and analysts have criticized Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and his dump-and-chase system and lineup decisions throughout the year. The coach has now received the brunt of the blame from fans for the team’s performance.
One of the biggest complaints from hockey fans was that Laughton was never given a real opportunity in the top half of the lineup.
That decision drew even more scrutiny considering the price the Toronto Maple Leafs paid for the 31-year-old center. Toronto dealt a 2027 first-round pick and fan favorite Nikita Grebenkin to acquire Scott Laughton — a return that already felt steep at the time.
The optics have only worsened since then. The Leafs eventually moved Laughton to the Los Angeles Kings for just a conditional third-round pick, making the original trade look even more costly in hindsight.
Sometimes You Just Need A Change of Scenery
The weak return, combined with a less-than-stellar tenure with the club, left fans with a bad taste in their mouth. Adding insult to injury, Laughton made an immediate impact on his new club, scoring in his debut with the Kings.
Nicolas Roy, another of those who were dealt by the Maple Leafs at the deadline, also made an immediate impact with his new team. Roy scored the game-tying goal in his second game with the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
This one doesn’t sting as much as the Laughton trade, as the return was on par and, depending on who you ask, more than what was thought the team would get for Roy. But the production suggests that, in a different world, he and Laughton might have worked on the Leafs.
Bobby McMann, who was also traded at the deadline, was sent to the Seattle Kraken for a mediocre haul. He has yet to play for his new team due to immigration issues, but, given the current trajectory, is due for at least a goal in his debut with this new club.
Lacklustre Haul for This Year’s Trade Deadline
Toronto had a very lacklustre trade deadline, following the promising trade of Nicolas Roy for a first and fifth-round pick to Colorado. Brad Treliving then sent Bobby McMann to Seattle for 2nd ’27 and a 4th in ’26, followed by another down-to-the-wire trade of Scott Laughton to Los Angeles for a conditional third-rounder.
With the Leafs on a 3-5-2 run over the last ten, it is clear that the new goal must be to secure their first-round pick this year. That will only be possible if the team can lose their way into the top 5 of the draft. Leafs fans will keep one eye on the games and the other on the Tankathon Draft Lottery Simulator.
NEXT: Maple Leafs Made Critical Mistake During Trade Deadline
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