A Hot Take Hockey mock trade sends Stars defenseman Thomas Harley to the Maple Leafs, with Easton Cowan headlining Toronto's package.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dakota Joshua and Colorado's 2027 first-round pick would also go to Dallas, while Colin Blackwell joins Harley in Toronto.
The Dallas defenseman carries a $10,587,500 cap hit, the fourth-highest among NHL defensemen.
Dallas says no. A 25-year-old defenseman like that is the piece contenders build around, not the one they sell.
It's like offering your old couch, a lamp and a coupon for your neighbor's brand-new sectional.
He has 3 assists and a +4 rating this season.
Cowan has 2 game-winners on a $900,000 cap hit.
Mock trade?
DAL acquires:
Easton Cowan
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Dakota Joshua
2027 1st (COL)
TOR acquires:
Thomas Harley
Colin Blackwell
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Maple Leafs mock trade offers Easton Cowan for Thomas Harley
Joshua has played one AHL game with the Toronto Marlies this season and is no longer on the Leafs' active roster, according to HockeyDB.
He carries a $3,250,000 cap hit through 2027-28.
He has 96 points in 296 career NHL games.
His best NHL season came in 2023-24 with Vancouver, when he scored 18 goals.
Toronto originally drafted him in the fifth round in 2014.
Ekman-Larsson, 35, has yet to record a point.
Toronto's defensemen still haven't scored a goal this season, and Harley hasn't either.
Dallas has allowed just 13 goals in eight games, the kind of number no team breaks up lightly.
Miro Heiskanen leads the Stars' defensemen with 6 points.
Blackwell has yet to record a point in six games.
Toronto would send out $7,650,000 in cap hits and take back $11,437,500.
The Leafs are 4-4-2 after Monday's 3-1 win over San Jose.
Elliotte Friedman said the Leafs would only move prime assets for a difference maker on the back end.
Jim Nill has no reason to move a young defenseman while his team keeps winning with structure.
Would Toronto even give up Cowan and a first if Dallas picked up the phone?
Toronto visits Columbus tonight, while Dallas hosts Boston.
The Leafs need a defenseman like Harley. Finding a team willing to give one up is the hard part.
Would you trade Easton Cowan and a first-round pick for Thomas Harley?
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