Maple Leafs trade for Simon Edvinsson comes with a steep price in latest blockbuster proposal

A new mock trade from IceMetrix has Toronto chasing Simon Edvinsson, and the price is steep.

Detroit would receive Easton Cowan, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

Toronto would get Edvinsson.

The timing makes it interesting.

Edvinsson is a 23-year-old defenseman and an unsigned restricted free agent.

Interim GM Shawn Horcoff keeps saying he wants to sign Edvinsson, not move him, but TSN reports Detroit is still talking with up to 10 teams.

Edvinsson was the sixth overall pick in 2021 and put up 25 points in 72 games last season.

Reports say he would rather land with a team that gives him a long-term deal, though he has not made a formal trade request.

TSN noted that the asking price would look like the hauls for Noah Dobson, Mikhail Sergachev, Bowen Byram and Simon Nemec, which included prospects and first-round picks.

This package has no first-rounder.

Cowan is 21, was the 28th pick in 2023 and is on an entry-level deal through 2027-28.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Toronto's desire to move him has faded after a strong camp and a hot start.

Ekman-Larsson is 35, carries a $3.5 million cap hit through 2027-28 and scored 39 points last season, so he helps Detroit now but not for long.

There is also a catch. Edvinsson is still unsigned, so Toronto would have to get him signed, and the deadline to do that is Dec. 1 or he cannot play this season.

So the real question is simple.

Would Toronto pay this much for a defenseman who wants a massive payday, or is Cowan starting to look like someone you build around?

Detroit probably wants more, and Leafs fans probably want to keep their kid.

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