NHL Trade Scenario Links Maple Leafs to $49 Million Forward originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
With Mitch Marner now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain on the hunt for a top-six forward to balance out a new-look roster.
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While general manager Brad Treliving has already made depth additions, he isn’t hiding the fact that Toronto still needs more additions and talent up front.
“You kind of got to do that in the aggregate,” Treliving said during an episode of Sportsnet’s “Kyper & Bourne” show in early July. “Can you, over a couple of moves, replace the offense you’re trying to replace and spread that out throughout the lineup?”
With most talented free agents already off the market, however, completing trades is the last option remaining on Toronto’s horizon if they want to bolster their offense.
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi (11) prepares for a faceoff.Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
NHL analyst Lyle Richardson came up with a few “way-too-early” trade scenarios for Bleacher Report, including one linking the Leafs to New York Islanders captain Anders Lee.
Richardson sees Lee as a possible target at or before the 2026 trade deadline, especially if the Islanders fall out of the playoff race.
“They don’t have many tradable assets,” Richardson wrote, “but they could dangle a 2026 second-rounder and perhaps a player like Max Domi.”
Lee, 35, is entering the final year of an eight-year, $56 million contract and is coming off a 29-goal, 54-point season. A 6-foot-3, 231-pound forward with playoff experience, he should check several boxes for a Toronto team trying to add as much talent as possible to fill Marner’s gap, as well as make a deep postseason run.
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New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) fights for a loose puck.James Guillory-Imagn Images
“New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is in the final season of his eight-year contract with a cap hit of $7 million. If the Isles are out of playoff contention by the March trade deadline, they could peddle the 35-year-old left wing,” Richardson wrote. “In his 13-season NHL career, he’s reached or exceeded 20 goals nine times, including a 29-goal performance in 2024-25 on an offensively anaemic Islanders team.
“He could become a player of interest for the Leafs as they attempt to end their long Stanley Cup drought.”
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With $2.93 million in current cap space, Toronto could accommodate Lee’s contract if they send Domi’s $3.75 million cap hit — along with another player to make up for the salary gap — the other way, or if they manage their cap properly throughout the season leading up to the trade deadline.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.