NHL Trade Rumors: Maple Leafs shopping veteran defenceman on trade market

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka hasn't been shy making bold moves to upgrade his roster, and after a season-eve blockbuster to land Kirill Marchenko, it sounds like the Leafs GM is looking to upgrade his blueline.

There's been growing speculation around the league that Chayka has been making trade calls looking for a mobile defenceman in his prime, and has been offering veteran blueline Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a package that likely also includes 19-year-old prospect Tinus Luc Koblar. 

OEL, 35, is signed for this season and next at a very reasonable $3.5 million. So far this season, it's been a struggle for the veteran defenceman, as he's lost a step, and hasn't been making very good decisions with the puck. Ekman-Larsson has quickly dropped down the Leafs depth chart, and is now finding himself in the middle of trade rumors. All the insiders around the league have mentioned that Chayka hasn't stopped working the phones and is the most active GM in trade discussions, and kicking tires on what potential trades could materialize.

Koblar is one of the Leafs best prospects, and has really impressed throughout this past offseason with his development at training camp. The 2025 second-round pick continues to grow at 6-foot-3, and so far has three points in three games in Sweden.

As far as trade destinations go, OEL owns a 16-team no-trade clause, which certainly complicates trade talks to an extent. Leafs Nation, brace yourselves, it sounds like there's another move coming very soon.