Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson knows a trade is possible

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Oliver Ekman-Larsson realizes his name is in the thick of trade speculation involving the Maple Leafs.

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Or so the veteran defenceman has heard.

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“First of all, I’m off Twitter or X or whatever it’s called, and social media,” Ekman-Larsson said on Monday morning after the Leafs’ morning skate. “I don’t know much (about) what’s going on.

“I know one thing, that when a team struggles, anything can happen. I’m pretty good at staying focused on what I want to do and what I’m supposed to do. That’s never going to change. That’s where I’m at.”

The 34-year-old Swede said he has not been approached by the Leafs about a potential trade ahead of the National Hockey League deadline on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. He has a modified no-trade clause, one that includes a 16-team list.

Would Ekman-Larsson consider waiving if one of the teams on his no-trade list wants him?

He didn’t say yes or no, but it wasn’t necessary.

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“We love it here, we’re happy here, I want to be here,” Ekman-Larsson said. “That’s what I have for you right now. We want to be here. We’re super-happy here and I still believe that we can turn things around. (The Leafs need) some tweaks here and there, but I still believe in this organization and this team. That’s how I feel.”

It’s hard to believe that any Leafs player can look around the dressing room right now and see a group, with some changes, that can get going in the proper direction again.

With 22 games remaining in the regular season, we know what the Leafs are: A team that doesn’t have the talent or the resolve to put up a good fight on most nights. There shouldn’t be so much as a sliver of optimism if the Leafs beat the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena.

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The Leafs are too far out of a playoff spot, eight points, to make a true run with weeks remaining in the regular season.

From where does Ekman-Larsson draw his belief that the Leafs can find success in the not-too-distant future?

“Looking back a year ago, I thought we were in a good spot and played some good hockey and pushed a really good team to seven games (before losing to the Florida Panthers in the second round), that ended up going all the way,” Ekman-Larsson said. “We haven’t done a lot, but I still think that we have the pieces.

“Sometimes in games we have to be a little bit more smarter, if you can say that, with the puck play. Sometimes it feels like we beating ourselves a little bit too much.”

Still, Ekman-Larsson — whose wife is expecting a child soon — is under no illusions regarding what could happen in the coming days.

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“Everybody knows what they signed up for,” Ekman-Larsson said. “I haven’t really put any thoughts into it, so I don’t really have much to give you.

“I’m just trying to stay in the mindset of playing good hockey and trying to battle and trying to do what I can control and what we can control as a team. That’s how I go about my business.”

What’s our take on the Ekman-Larsson trade talk?

We’ll cut to the chase: If general manager Brad Treliving gets an offer he can’t refuse, then by all means, take it.

This isn’t to say the Leafs need to get rid of Ekman-Larsson. The opposite is true.

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Given his play this season and his Stanley Cup ring with the Panthers in 2024, the crafty vet would benefit a team with Cup aspirations. A high draft pick and a solid prospect could be the return, pieces that would help the Leafs start to restock a fairly bare prospect cupboard.

If the Leafs decide to keep Ekman-Larsson or are unable to make a trade to their liking, that’s not a bad option.

With an average annual value of $3.5 million US in each of the next two seasons, Ekman-Larsson should continue to provide good return on what is not an expensive investment.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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