After a rough start to the 2025-26 season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have turned things around and are back in the Eastern Conference playoff race. After sitting near the bottom of the standings, they have vaulted up to near the final wild-card spot. Toronto is a real threat to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, like all potential postseason teams, the Maple Leafs are likely going to be active at the trade deadline in March to upgrade their roster. Retooling is not what Toronto does with its current core. Last season at the deadline, they struck a deal with the Boston Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney to acquire defenseman Brandon Carlo. It hasn't been what the Maple Leafs, Carlo, or their fans had hoped it would be.
In fact, there have been rumors that general manager Brad Treliving has looked to move the big right-handed shot. He remains with Toronto, but could the Maple Leafs be looking to upgrade their defense with another former Bruins defenseman?
Maple Leafs linked to former Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton
Things are getting ugly in New Jersey between former Boston defenseman Dougie Hamilton and the Devils. It's so bad that he's been scratched and the subject of trade rumors. Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report listed seven teams that Hamilton could be traded to, and third on that list was Toronto. Why? Well, there is a catch involving the front office.
"It would be the most Maple Leafs way to address the situation by bringing in Dougie Hamilton, a could've-been Maple Leaf. Hamilton was a first-round pick of the Boston Bruins, ninth overall in 2011, but the pick once belonged to Toronto and landed in the Bruins' hands in the Phil Kessel trade. It's the same deal that landed Boston, Toronto's first-round pick they used to take Tyler Seguin as well,'' Yerdon wrote.
"For what it's worth, Leafs GM Brad Treliving acquired Hamilton from Boston via trade and re-signed him while with Calgary back in 2015, so there is history.''
Yes, the famous 2015 Bruins and Calgary Flames trade involving Hamilton that got the Black and Gold a first-round draft pick. Well, we know what happened next. Anyway, fast forward to 2026, and the Maple Leafs could be looking to pluck another former Boston defenseman while moving another one out. There is never a shortage of storylines between rivals, is there? This could get interesting.