The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked closely in recent weeks, with several trade possibilities floating around.
Ahead of UFA, Bobby McMann was at the forefront of these discussions, with names like Scott Laughton, Brandon Carlo and even Jake McCabe also being speculated along the way. While this all still makes sense, the talks between the two teams prior to the Olympic roster freeze actually centered around Nicolas Roy and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, according to an insider.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta revealed the update during his appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek on Friday.
said Pagnotta:
“One word out of Edmonton is that leading up to this freeze, they had conversations with the Toronto Maple Leafs – and it wasn’t Bobby McMann. I know there was a lot of attention and speculation surrounding McMann, but going into the week I knew they hadn’t talked about him.
It sounds like maybe it’s Nic Roy, maybe it’s an Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Those are two players I wouldn’t be shocked to see sniffing around. A few people told me that the Oilers and Leafs were having discussions leading up to the freeze, and that’s something to keep an eye on as we come out of the pause and get closer to the actual deadline.”
Roy, 29, is in year four of a five-year, $15 million contract originally signed with the Golden Knights in 2022. The 34-year-old Ekman-Larsson, meanwhile, is in the second year of the four-year, $14 million deal he signed to join the Maple Leafs as a UFA in 2024.
Roy scored 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 54 games this season, while Ekman-Larsson scored 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists) in 57 appearances.
Stan Bowman has shown a preference for players with maturity
While this is only his second trade deadline deal as GM of the Oilers, if last year — and his time in Chicago — taught us anything, it’s that Bowman prefers to acquire players with fixed terms, or pending free agents he’s confident he can extend, rather than outright rentals.
That doesn’t necessarily rule out a McMann trade, as Edmonton could still acquire and extend him, though it does further explain why Bowman would kick ties with Roy and Ekman-Larsson, who are under contract through 2026-2027 and 2027-2028, respectively.
Roy would provide Edmonton with the top nine forward they have been looking for, offering flexibility as a right shot who can play either center or wing. Ekman-Larsson, despite his age, is having a fantastic season and would not only clinch the championship title, but also make the blue line more difficult to play against.
Since both players have term limits, Bowman and company may have to pay a premium to get a deal done. That said, it sounds like the price for a potential rental like McMann won’t be cheap either — which could explain why the Oilers have turned their attention to Roy and Ekman-Larsson.
Next: If the insider report is true, the Maple Leafs should be all over Travis Konecny
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