NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs face tough roster decisions as 3 players emerge as potential trade targets this season

Maple Leafs could make surprising moves this season (Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not done after sending Matthew Knies to Columbus. Toronto gave up Knies, Emil Andrae, Steven Lorentz and a 2027 second-round pick earlier this week. In return, the Leafs got Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood and goalie Elvis Merzlikins.

A deal that big rarely ends a roster shuffle. It usually starts one. Three players now sit in the spotlight as possible trade pieces: Dakota Joshua, Wood and Philippe Myers. Each has a different story, but the common thread is simple. Toronto has too many depth options and limited reasons to keep them all.

Dakota Joshua is the first name to watch. The 30-year-old forward is on long-term injured reserve with an abdominal injury, so he is not playing right now.

Even so, his $3.25 million cap hit matters, and moving it could ease Toronto's cap picture. Teams do look for big players with a track record. Joshua appeared in 55 games for Toronto last season and finished with 10 goals, 18 points and 195 hits.Wood is the stranger case. Toronto only just added him, yet Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast that he believed the Leafs tried to move Wood the same day they acquired him.

That says plenty about how the front office views the fit. Wood carries a $2.5 million cap hit through 2028-29, a long commitment for a depth forward. He had eight goals, 14 points and 63 hits in 54 games for Columbus last season.Myers is the quietest name of the three. Toronto put him on waivers, he cleared, and he went to the Marlies in the AHL. Teams rarely make that move with a player in their plans. He could be a throw-in piece in a bigger deal, or the Leafs could send him elsewhere for a late-round pick and give him a fresh start.

Last season he played 39 games and recorded two assists, 51 blocks, 55 hits and a minus-10 rating.

The Knies deal already reshaped the top of the lineup, with Marchenko arriving as the main forward return. The depth group is what is left to sort out. Crowding is the main reason. Toronto has a surplus of bottom-six forwards, and Joshua and Wood both sit in that group. Together, they count $5.75 million against the cap. That is a lot of money tied up in depth jobs, and clearing even one of those deals would give Toronto room to react when an injury hits or a better offer appears.

Timing matters too. Joshua's injury makes him harder to sell, since a buyer would likely want to see him healthy first. Wood has no such issue, but his contract length works against him. Myers is the simplest to move since he is already with the Marlies. None of this is confirmed, and Toronto may well hold all three. The only reported link so far is Friedman's note on Wood.