The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Sam McCue 216th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Standing 6’2 and weighing 200 pounds, the left winger was the penultimate pick for the Leafs, representing a clear shift by the organization to prioritize size and strength in their draft class. At the time, McCue was coming off a season split between the Peterborough Petes and Owen Sound Attack, where he tallied 23 goals and 14 assists.

Initially viewed as a longshot to make the NHL, McCue showed enough upside to project as a potential AHL contributor in the coming years. However, his tenure in Owen Sound was short-lived. After spending parts of two half-seasons there, he was dealt to the Flint Firebirds. In Flint, McCue posted another strong offensive campaign, registering 36 goals and 19 assists, a promising production tick for the then 19-year-old.

A Steep Price and a Sudden Exit

This past summer, the Brantford Bulldogs acquired McCue from Flint in a massive deal. The package included a 2026 second-round pick, a 2026 third, a 2027 third, a 2027 fourth, a 2026 fifth, a 2028 sixth, and a 2029 12th.

Yet, just 25 games into his tenure, after scoring 10 goals and 5 assists, the forward has been traded again. This time, he is headed to the Ottawa 67’s for a significantly smaller return of a 2nd and 3rd round pick. The trade materialized just days after reports surfaced that Brantford was considering cutting McCue entirely.

Leafs prospect Sam McCue is being traded from Brantford to Ottawa, per source. Believe it’s a second and a third coming back to the Bulldogs for the overager, who they acquired in the offseason.

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) December 4, 2025

Red Flags for the Maple Leafs?

This latest move comes amidst rumors of a significant personality conflict within the Brantford room. The Bulldogs currently sit in first place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference. The fact that a contender made the decision to trade a productive scorer to the second-place Ottawa 67’s, a direct divisional rival currently chasing them, rather than keep him on the roster speaks volumes. This decision raises immediate, major questions about McCue’s character.

If a player is unwilling to bite their tongue or keep their ego in check on a championship-caliber team, is that a player you want in your professional locker room?

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, this is a question they must answer before determining whether to retain McCue’s rights. Fortunately for the front office, top prospect Ben Danford had the opportunity to play with McCue in Brantford this season. Danford will likely be able to provide the team with crucial insight on exactly what went wrong.

Who knows, though? Maybe the fifth team in four years will be the solution.