Maple Leafs deal McMann to Kraken, Laughton to Kings ahead of NHL trade deadline

TORONTO — The Maple Leafs are used to adding at the NHL trade deadline.

This year’s edition was markedly different.

And after Toronto general manager Brad Treliving met the media once the horn sounded, the path forward for a tortured Original Six franchise that’s enjoyed plenty of regular-season success most of the last decade remained decidedly murky.

The woefully underachieving Maple Leafs dealt pending unrestricted free agents Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton ahead of Friday’s cutoff as a season that began with championship talk continued to circle the drain.

“The failures here start with me,” Treliving said when asked how a team that made the second round of last spring’s playoffs arrived at this point. “Once we get through the end of the season, there’ll be all sorts of evaluation, but to start parsing through it right now … we’ve got games to play, but there’s a lot.

“We got off to a poor start … from my standpoint, some roster construction issues, lack of consistency, the ability to maintain any kind of level. There’s been a whole bunch of factors.”

Treliving was also quizzed about bench boss Craig Berube, a Stanley Cup winner unable to get a handle on a group that has dealt with a laundry list of ugly issues.

“Craig’s a terrific coach,” said Treliving, who would not commit to a rebuild or any other plan moving forward. “When it doesn’t work, we all share a blame, and we all share responsibility … starts with myself. It’s the coaches, it’s the players. We’re all partners in this thing.”

Toronto traded McMann to the Seattle Kraken for a second-round pick at the 2027 draft and a fourth-rounder in 2026, while Laughton fetched a conditional third-rounder from the Los Angeles Kings in June.

McMann leaves Toronto as a developmental success for the organization. The 29-year-old signed with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate out of the NCAA in 2020 before working his way through the system and making his NHL debut during the 2022-23 season.

A late-bloomer from Wainwright, Alta., McMann has 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points in 60 games in 2025-26.

Laughton was originally acquired by the Maple Leafs, who will have the third-round pick in the Kings’ trade upgraded to a second if L.A. makes the playoffs, from the Philadelphia Flyers along with a couple of late-round selections ahead of last season’s deadline for forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a conditional 2027 first-rounder.

The 31-year-old from nearby Oakville, Ont., had a total of 10 goals and six assists for 16 points in 63 regular-season games with the team he cheered for as a kid.

McMann, Laughton and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who’s signed two more seasons and wasn’t moved Friday, were all held out of Toronto’s lineup Wednesday and Thursday for “roster management purposes” ahead of the deadline.

“That’s the market,” Treliving said of the disappointing Laughton return. “I can’t speak highly enough about Scott Laughton. Not only his play, but he’s as quality a human as you’re going to find. I’ll be the first one to say last year at this time, we paid a first and a young player (in Grebenkin) for him.

“The market dictates and that’s where it fell.”

Sitting eight points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot heading into Friday, the Maple Leafs had a brief surge with three straight road wins heading into the Olympic break, but have dropped six straight (0-4-2).

Toronto has been in a post-season spot a total of 48 hours since Nov. 7 and owns a 4-10-4 record since Jan. 12.

The Maple Leafs made their first move Thursday, shipping centre Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche for a conditional 2027 first-rounder along with a fifth in June. The 29-year-old was part of the sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for Mitch Marner last summer that brought the star winger’s long march out of his hometown to a close.

The Maple Leafs’ stunning slide down the standings came after another pre-season filled with promise.

Sure, Marner had exited in a disastrous example of asset management — he had a no-movement clause over the final two years of his contract and nixed at least one swap that would have netted Toronto an acceptable return — but there was hope new faces could fill the void by committee.

Roy, Matias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua were brought in up front. A veteran defence corps remained intact. John Tavares and Matthew Knies had new contracts. Auston Matthews and William Nylander were both healthy. The goaltending duo of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll were back looking to build on excellent statistical showings.

When the puck dropped in October, things never looked right.

Injuries played a part, but Toronto has simply been second-best in too many facets on too many nights. A porous power play, woeful defensive structure and a seeming lack of effort all played a part in a disappointing campaign that has 19 games left on the schedule.

“Came out of the break here flat,” Treliving said. “I can’t give you a good reason for it. It’s not anything we anticipated. We’re pros, we’re in the best league in the world. It’s a privilege to play in the league, and we’ve got to compete as such.

“Not making excuses for them, but today’s behind us. It’s our job to go out and be professionals … that’s what I expect.”

And then the real work begins.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press