The Toronto Maple Leafs could very well be heading into a rebuild, mainly because of their constant failures over the last few seasons and what transpired in the 2026 NHL draft lottery. Toronto somehow managed to get the first pick overall, and it seems that has made a rebuild more likely. The Utah Mammoth could be very interested in trading for one of two superstars the Maple Leafs may trade if a rebuild were to occur.
Why a Mini-Rebuild Could Make Total Sense
The Maple Leafs have plenty of superstars, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies, so a full rebuild is unlikely. In other words, the team is likely to see some players stay to see the team have something to build around. However, with the first pick overall, the team should definitely consider going younger. Someone like Gavin McKenna, who is projected to be the first-overall pick, along with other young players and draft picks, could lead to a pretty good team in the future.
The Maple Leafs don't need to try to rebuild their team, but it would make a lot of sense after all the disappointments with the team they now have. A team like the Utah Mammoth, or even someone else, could definitely give up a good young prospect or two, and/or draft picks to help the Leafs rebuild and get them back to true contention.
Matthew Knies, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
This trade is unlikely for multiple reasons, with one of the main reasons being that Toronto doesn't want to trade Knies, who is just 23 years old. However, his name has consistently come up in trade conversations, and if the Maple Leafs get the right package in return for the youngster, they might pull the trigger regardless of his age.
The Mammoth would definitely have to give up a pretty penny for the future superstar Knies, but it is not impossible to acquire him. Utah probably considers some players untouchable, such as Caleb Desnoyers and Logan Cooley, but they might not think the same of players like Daniil But and Tij Ignila, not to mention the Mammoth also have some draft picks that might interest the Leafs in such a trade. This would be anything but a cheap trade, but Knies would definitely be a great addition to Utah.
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
What is very interesting about Matthews is that his price has fallen significantly over the last couple of seasons. The 28-year-old has dealt with significant injuries over the last couple of seasons, and Matthews has underperformed significantly. Matthews, in 60 games this 2025-26 season had just 53 points when he got injured for the rest of the way in March of 2026.
In the 2024-25 season, Matthews had 107 points- showing he has struggled recently for Toronto. This most certainly doesn't mean that he is going to be worth nothing and the Mammoth can get him with ease- but Matthews is likely less expensive than Knies at this point due to all of these factors. If the Maple Leafs want to shop Matthews around, then Utah should definitely be one of the first teams to throw what they have at trading for him.
The Mammoth already have a future superstar center in Logan Cooley, so the need for Matthews may not be there. However, Matthews is the kind of player who could bring a Stanley Cup to Utah immediately, and he could do wonders for the Mammoth.
The Maple Leafs aren't guaranteed to trade away many of their star players, but if they do, the Mammoth should definitely consider going after several of their stars. A trade for the Mammoth could bring the team to a whole different level.
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