Maple Leafs can sell high on Max Domi and others to have something to show for the season

Domi has had plenty of underperformances during his time in Toronto, but has been in trouble lately. With 20 points in 27 games so far in December and January, Domi is producing at a pace that matches some of his best seasons and, at the very least, his season numbers are now in line with what can reasonably be expected from Domi throughout his career.

Domi’s $3.75 million cap hit no longer looks burdensome and instead matches what his results are. As a potential center option for some clubs, there could be legitimate interest in Domi if the Leafs were to make him available, potentially even creating an opportunity for the Leafs to earn a meaningful return if they were to retain some of the cap hit as well.

The inconsistency Domi has become known for is why the Maple Leafs should explore selling when he is producing (similar to what Chicago previously did with him), and given that the Leafs have other players who all have offensive players who bring similar traits, such as Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli, it would be wise to move on from Domi at a time when the team clearly needs to make room for an overhaul in 2026-2027.

It won’t be lost on teams around the league that his resurgence will coincide with playing for Auston Matthews, but come the playoffs, a player who can fit into the existing top six or top nine with players already producing is likely what buyers will be looking for.

The Leafs know that Domi is not their ideal option in their top six going forward, whether Berube is the coach or not. Paying out when it has value makes sense.

It’s hard to imagine that there will be many better options for offensive defensemen available heading into the trade deadline, and Oliver has outperformed the likes of Dougie Hamilton at almost a third of the price.

The Leafs have to wonder if Ekman-Larsson is likely to repeat this success with the coach they envision for the team in 2026-2027. If the answer is even maybe, it’s time to move on.

Outside of high option sales, the Leafs have a slew of other contracts they need to decide if there is more value in staying with the Leafs or if the room to try something different in the summer is more important. Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo and Anthony Stolarz are additional options the Leafs should explore, albeit with less sense of urgency. Roster flexibility during the summer is something the Leafs should value and regaining some future prospects in the process makes sense.

While the Leafs won’t trade absolutely everyone, a good look at who is overachieving or still has a positive reputation in the league will benefit Toronto and give the team some cap space they can arm at the trade deadline and in the offseason.