NHL trade deadline live blog: Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs have hours left to add for playoffs

Welcome to our NHL trade deadline live blog! Below you’ll find all the news, rumours, reaction and analysis from one of the most exciting days on the sports calendar … plus a catch up on what the Maple Leafs have done leading up to today.

The NHL Trade Deadline is at 3 p.m. ET today. Be sure to catch our live show on Twitter Spaces at 12 p.m. ET. Click here for details.

8 a.m.: So … who’s left?

We’ve all been talking about the extraordinary number of trades over the past several days. Nobody knows it more than Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets, who has been updating his NHL Trade Board over the last couple of weeks and watching players get picked off one by one.

The list is much smaller than the first edition and has plenty of new names in the final edition published on Wednesday. The decimated trade board includes one member of the Leafs: Justin Holl. Here’s what CJ had to say about him:

“If the Leafs decide to make another addition they’ll likely have to clear out salary and Holl could be the odd man out. The team currently has nine defencemen on its NHL roster and he’s a pending UFA. However, his play has come on as this season has worn on — so it’s no guarantee he’s moved.”

Check out Holl’s season stats here.

Read the full list of 13 players on the block here: Maple Leafs’ Justin Holl cracks Chris Johnston’s decimated NHL trade board

7 a.m.: Have you heard about our live show?

While we hope you keep it locked into this live blog all day long, we will excuse you at 12 p.m. ET to check out our trade deadline live show.

Star hockey reporter Kevin McGran and contributing columnist Nick Kypreos will be on Twitter Spaces at 12 p.m. ET to talk about the Leafs moves, what’s happening today and answer your questions.

Set a reminder for the chat by clicking this link. And read more about it here: Nick Kypreos and Kevin McGran answer your questions on Twitter Spaces

6 a.m.: Highlights from around the league

To finish off the recap portion of this live blog, here’s a refresher on some of the bigger deals we’ve seen around the NHL in what has been a wild few days.

5 a.m.: A Maple Leafs recap

We’re starting off with a bit of a long-winded blog post, but what do you expect after such a busy couple of weeks on the trade market for the Maple Leafs? I’m borrowing this handy guide to everything Kyle Dubas has accomplished so far from my colleague Justin Smirlies.

Who’s in, who’s out? Here’s a breakdown of the Leafs’ trades up to this point:

In: Erik Gustafsson, first-round pick | Out: Rasmus Sandin

On Tuesday the Leafs made a flurry of trades, but the most notable was shipping promising young defenceman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals for defenceman Erik Gustafsson and a first-round pick (from the Boston Bruins) in the 2023 draft.

The 22-year-old Sandin, drafted 29th overall in 2018, was slated to become a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season and was projected to be the seventh defenceman for the Leafs come playoff time. The 30-year-old Gustafsson has seven goals and 38 points on the season and is an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Full story from Kevin McGran here.

What Nick Kypreos thinks: Kyle Dubas conducted major roster surgery to put Maple Leafs over the top. The strategy has worked before

What Dave Feschuk thinks: Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is giving fans something to celebrate, though winning the deadline isn’t the goal

In: Luke Schenn | Out: Third-round pick

Old friend alert.

The Leafs acquired 33-year-old veteran defenceman Luke Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 draft. Schenn, originally drafted fifth overall by the Leafs in 2008, never quite blossomed into what the team originally envisioned then, but the two-time Stanley Cup champion can provide a strong physical presence on the blue line and currently leads the league in hits.

Full story from Kevin McGran here.

What Bruce Arthur thinks: The Leafs’ stars have their supporting cast. Now it’s time to get the show started

In: Third-round pick | Out: Pierre Engvall

Pierre Engvall, a seventh round pick in 2014, is considered a success story for such a late draft pick but doesn’t provide the kind physical presence the Leafs need in the playoffs. He was shipped to the New York Islanders for a third-round pick in the 2023 draft.

It was also partially seen as a move to free up cap space when goalie Matt Murray is reactivated from the long-term injury reserve.

Full story from Kevin McGran here.

What Dave Feschuk thinks: Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is giving fans something to celebrate, though winning the deadline isn’t the goal

In: Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty, conditional fifth-round picks (2025 and 2026) | Out: Conditional first-round pick (2025), second-round pick (2026), Joey Anderson, Pavel Gogolev

Leafs made a fairly under-the-radar move landing Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Jake McCabe in exchange for a number of picks and Marlies players Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev. The Leafs also acquired depth forward Sam Lafferty.

McCabe, 29, has two goals and 18 assists in 55 games with the Blackhawks this season. Lafferty, 27, has 10 goals and 21 points in 51 games.

Full story from the Mark Zwolinski here.

What Bruce Arthur thinks: The Maple Leafs are going for it. And the Jake McCabe trade might not be the last

What Damien Cox thinks: NHL trade avalanche solidifies power shift to the East — for now

In: Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari | Out: Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette, number of picks

Perhaps the biggest move (so far) the Leafs made was to acquire former St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his part on the Stanley Cup-winning team in 2019, in a three-way trade with the Minnesota Wild. Coming over from St. Louis with him was Noel Acciari, a solid and physical third- or fourth-line centre.

Going the other way were prospects Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette, plus the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2023, Ottawa’s third-round pick in 2023 and the Leafs’ second-round pick in 2024. The Wild received the Leafs’ fourth-round pick in 2025 for taking on some salary.

Full story from Mark Zwolinski here.

What Nick Kypreos thinks: The Maple Leafs made a big splash in acquiring Ryan O’Reilly. Now it’s time to go all-in, even if it means trading Matthew Knies

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