Lightning trade rumor involves 2 Maple Leafs as targets before NHL deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are still trying to make some moves.
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They head into trade deadline involved heavily in rumors with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL’s trading deadline is at 3 p.m. ET, so they’re running out of time.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported late Thursday night that the Lightning have their eyes on two Maple Leafs:
“Plenty of interest in both plays,” writes Pagnotta, who adds that the Lightning are “lurking.”
Ekman-Larsson has been the most discussed Leafs defenseman as far as being a trade candidate, even though he’s not on an expiring contract. If the Lightning trade for OEL, they’d have him beyond this season.
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The 34-year old defenseman is past his prime but is still a quality player, and he just wrapped up playing at the Olympics with Sweden, where he was teammates with Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman.
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Ekman-Larsson won the 2024 Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, so he knows what it’s like to win those big games at the end of the season.
Laughton, on the other hand, is on an expiring deal. He’d most likely just be a rental for the Bolts.
He’s a trustworthy bottom-six center, and you can’t have enough centers this time of year.
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Both were healthy scratches from Toronto’s most recent game for roster management reasons, which suggests they’ve each got a solid likelihood of being moved somewhere. Maybe that destination will be Tampa Bay.
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