6-player monster trade scenario between Leafs and Panthers stuns fans!

All summer, speculations emerged on what would happened to defenseman Aaron Ekblad, is entering the final season of an 8-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2016 with the Florida Panthers. Chatter has also been loud about Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nick Robertson, as it has been said that the young forward has asked to be traded.

These two rumours, along with many more speculations, have been put together to provide the following monster trade scenario that could interest Florida and Toronto, per Hockey Patrol.

“Maple Leafs get:

Aaron Ekblad
Carter Verhaeghe

Panthers get:

Timothy Liljegren
Nick Robertson
Calle Jarnkrok
Bobby McMann
2027 first-round pick
2025 second-round pick (Florida’s)”

The Panthers are fresh off the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship and lost a few free agents, notably both Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who joined the Seattle Kraken and the Maple Leafs respectively in early July.
Ekblad however remains on the trade market. His deal, which comes with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million, also holds a 12-team no-trade list. The former first overall draft pick has played 10 seasons in the NHL, all with Florida.

His teammate Verhaeghe is also going to be a UFA following next season, though rumours hinted that Florida is already working toward an extension with the forward.

In Toronto, while Robertson and Jarnkrok’s names has been mentioned in trade circles for months, the idea of shipping Liljegren and McMann is quite a bold move. Toronto has not shown any signs that they plan on trading the young defenseman and some analysts have McMann playing a top-six key role with the Leafs next season.

I doubt this monster trade scenario is currently in the works, and if it were to happen, the entire NHL would be shocked. But you have to wonder, if you were in Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving or Panthers’ general manager Bill Zito’s shoes, would you make this blockbuster move?