The Edmonton Oilers are expected to be buyers at the 2026 Trade Deadline, and with the recent re-hiring of Paul Coffey as an assistant coach, it has become clear that they are willing to do whatever it takes to finally win their first Stanley Cup since 1990. The Toronto Maple Leafs, on the other hand, are going to be sellers this time around, as their 2025-26 season has been disastrous.
Related: Oilers News & Rumours: McDavid, McMann Trade Speculation, Draisaitl
In a recent segment at Oilers Nation, trusted pundit David Pagnotta dropped what it would take for the Oilers and Maple Leafs to pull off a deal bringing Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Oilers, and the asking price seemed to be outrageous.
David Pagnotta, @TheFourthPeriod says that the Maple Leafs have placed a high price on Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Should the Oilers be interested?! More on the latest episode of Oilersnation Everyday. pic.twitter.com/Yw8AgOPTDw
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) February 11, 2026
Pagnotta said, “The Leafs aren’t trading him for [Andrew] Mangiapane and a pick. So, sorry, that’s not going to happen. You’re probably looking at something like an Isaac Howard in a deal to get OEL out of Toronto.”
Ike Howard, who was acquired by the Oilers in the offseason from the Tampa Bay Lightning, has emerged as their top prospect. He has scored two goals and added three assists for five points through 28 games with the Oilers this season, and has dominated in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he has 31 points through 25 games with the Bakersfield Condors.
Ekman-Larsson, who is 34 years old, has 34 points through 57 games this season, and has 1116 career games under his belt. He has emerged as a prime trade candidate and could be worth a lot at the deadline, should the Maple Leafs consider trading him.
Unfortunately, the Oilers giving up their 21-year-old top prospect in exchange for a top-four defender doesn’t make any sense, and the Oilers can pivot elsewhere if that is truly the asking price.
Oilers Have Other Options Available
There have been rumblings that the Oilers are targeting a top-four defender, and while Ekman-Larsson could be a solid addition for a playoff run, he isn’t the right target to pay premium assets for. The market isn’t thin on defenders either, so they have other options available to them, at a much more reasonable price.
The first alternative that makes sense is Calgary Flames’ Zach Whitecloud. He was recently acquired by the Flames in the massive Rasmus Andersson trade, but with the Flames likely in a rebuild as well, they may flip Whitecloud for even more future assets. Whitecloud, who is 29 years old, has an affordable $2,750,000 cap hit and is extended through 2027-28, making him a smart addition if the Oilers were willing to part with a young player and draft picks.
Another few options are Flames’ Mackenzie Weegar, Blackhawks’ Connor Murphy, Jets’ Logan Stanley, and Sharks’ Mario Ferraro. All of them likely wouldn’t cost as much as Ekman-Larsson would, making them a likelier addition at the trade deadline.
Time will tell what the Oilers end up doing, who they target, and if they end up dangling Howard in any trade at the 2026 Trade Deadline. Time will also tell if the Maple Leafs end up moving on from Ekman-Larsson and taking advantage of his value before the trade deadline. If they do, there will be plenty of interested suitors, but the Oilers shouldn’t, and likely wouldn’t, trade Howard for him.
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