Ross Colton’s name has been involved in trade rumors this offseason and one trade pitch sees the Stanley Cup-winning forward being dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Colorado Avalanche acquired Colton in the summer of 2023 from the Tampa Bay Lightning, after scoring the Cup-clinching goal in 2021. He signed a four-year $16 million deal, but due to Colorado being up against the salary cap, he has been considered a potential trade target.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Colton.
Maple Leafs get:
- Ross Colton
Avalanche get:
- Timothy Liljegren
- 2026 third-round pick
On paper, the trade does make sense for both teams, and a deal that could come to fruition. The Maple Leafs have yet to address their forward group in free agency and have a surplus of defensemen while Colorado saves $1 million on the salary cap by making the move.
Colton was a key player in the Lightning’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2021, so he would add more playoff experience to the Maple Leafs lineup. Colton could be Toronto’s third-line center and be part of a shutdown line in the playoffs, which is what he did in Tampa Bay.
Last season with the Avalanche, Colton recorded 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 80 games.
Colorado, meanwhile, would add Timothy Liljegren who would help bolster the Avalanche defensive core. The Avalanche did sign Calvin de Haan and Oliver Kylington to be on their third pair, but Liljegren could take one of their spots to make their D-core that much deeper.
Liljegren did sign a two-year $6 million extension with the Maple Leafs this offseason, but he still has been part of trade rumors. Last season, Liljegren recorded 3 goals and 20 assists for 23 points in 55 games.
Colton Named as Trade Candidate
When Colorado traded for Colton, he was supposed to help solidify the center position for the Avalanche. However, Colorado is right up against the cap and this summer, Colton was named as a trade candidate by DailyFaceoff.com.
“It was less than one calendar year ago, June 28, that the Avs acquired Colton as a cap casualty from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, one year later, Colton could be the same for the Avalanche. Colton is coming off a career-best 40-point season, too. It’s just that Colorado has so many hurdles to clear on the cap this summer that Colton may be the odd man out. They have to clear space for Gabriel Landeskog to be activated at some point next season,” NHL insider Frank Seravalli wrote.
“They aren’t sure about the status of Valeri Nichushkin, who is in Stage 3 of the Player Assistance program after a drug-related issue during the playoffs for the second year in a row. The arrival of Casey Mittelstadt at center, who also needs a new deal, makes it easier to move Colton, who should have plenty of trade equity,” Seravalli added.
However, Colton does have a full no-trade clause which kicked in on July 1 so he would have to approve a deal.
Liljegren Signs Extension With Maple Leafs
Liljegren was set to be an RFA on July 1, but just before free agency opened, the former first-round pick signed a two-year $6 million extension with the Maple Leafs.
Before Liljegren was signed, he was the subject of trade rumors, but he says Toronto is where he wanted to be.
“Feels good. Toronto is always the place I wanted to be. I’m happy we got it done,” Liljegren said to the media on July 1.
Liljegren was drafted 17th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2017 NHL draft. He has skated in 196 NHL games recording 14 goals and 51 assists for 65 points.
