As the 2025-2026 NHL season gets underway, the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t gotten off to the best start but have recently been finding ways to score goals. A 7-4 win over Nashville on Tuesday was an offensive breakout for the roster, but the team may still be eyeing the trade market, reportedly looking for a scorer and willing to move Nick Robertson in a deal.
One writer has linked the Maple Leafs to the Buffalo Sabres, specifically Sabers sniper Tage Thompson.
With the Leafs still in need of a top-six winger, and the sky falling in Buffalo, Thompson fits the profile of someone who would be an ideal fit and Peter Baracchini of The Hockey Writers notes that the Sabers are entering “dangerous territory” with both Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson as they stated that improvements are needed this season, putting management on a short leash.
Does this mean Thompson would be willing to leave Buffalo if a trade opportunity arose?
Baracchini adds:
“While there is no speculation and no major moves are imminent, if and when rumors arise, the Maple Leafs should keep an eye on the Sabres’ situation and not hesitate to go for Thompson as he is everything they want in a top-line, power forward winger.”
How soon before the Sabers become sellers?
The Sabers have struggled out of the gate, starting 0-3 with ten goals allowed, and star players Rasmus Dahlin and Thompson have openly expressed their frustration with the team’s early results. According to Elliotte Friedman, tensions are high and an unstable situation threatens. That could make Thompson available if management decides a shakeup is necessary.
Thompson, who scored 40 goals twice, is a top scorer in the NHL. Since his breakout 38-goal campaign in 2021-22, he ranks 12th in goals and 38th in points, combining size (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) with elite offensive ability. He’s not just a goalscorer either. Despite the Sabers being a sinkhole for many players’ underlying metrics, Thompson’s numbers remain strong.
Can the Maple Leafs pull off a Thompson trade?
For Toronto, acquiring Thompson wouldn’t be easy. His $7.14 million cap hit is manageable, but the Leafs don’t have that much space without moving bodies outside first. It’s unclear whether the Sabers are interested in what the Leafs are selling. Thompson also uses a modified non-trade clause. Baracchini writes: “… everything must be put on the table to acquire him. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen.”
Any trade will likely require a combination of roster pieces, prospects and draft picks. However, the Maple Leafs could be an attractive destination, giving Thompson the opportunity to play on a contending team alongside fellow countrymen Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.
It’s important to note that no deal is imminent. This is one author suggesting that Thompson represents exactly the type of top winger the Maple Leafs need to add to their scoring depth.
Next: Maple Leafs look for bigger role as trade talks resurface
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