Maple Leafs has a big offer on the table for Ekman-Larsson

“The Leafs, I’m told, have a number one pick for Oliver Ekman-Larsson. That’s what I’m hearing through the grapevine.” This quote comes from Bob Stauffer, host of Oilers Now, who revealed that he believes a team has already stepped up to the plate and offered a first trade pick.

Trade talk has been swirling around the Toronto Maple Leafs and veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a while now. The Oilers are believed to be interested. It just wasn’t clear what the cost of acquiring him would be. While it’s unclear if the Oilers are the team that offered the first round, it seems like it would take so much to make it happen.

If true, it suggests Toronto has already secured a return — or at least gotten a return that should make the Oilers uncomfortable. If it’s not the Oilers, General Manager Stan Bowman will likely have to increase whatever offer he plans to make. However, if Edmonton makes the offer, it will show just how much they want the left-shot defenseman.

So why didn’t the Maple Leafs say yes?

What’s intriguing about all of this is why a trade isn’t happening when a first-round pick is on the table. The Leafs can’t possibly expect more than that. Maybe they think they can get even more value out of it. Or, with a 16-team no-trade clause, Ekman-Larsson might play a role here.

Toronto is under pressure to replenish its draft capital. Maybe they wait until the last possible moment to make his deal. They have about four days to decide if the offer they have is enough or if they really believe another team will step up. The only risk they face is that the team that offers a scoop can move on.

Either way, if the Oilers were planning on making a blockbuster offer for multiple pieces, their deal could hit a roadblock. “I wonder if a package could be built like a 2027 first, a 2027 second, and a Mangiapane and a prospect, for OEL and Nicolas Roy,” someone asked. Stauffer said”I’m going to tell you now: I don’t believe that happens for those combinations of players.”

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