The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to bolster their roster for a deep playoff run and as the 2025 Trade Deadline approaches, it seems as though things will start to heat up around the NHL. They made some moves before the season got going that proved they wanted to be contenders, including bringing in Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to bolster their defensive depth, as well as signing goaltender Anthony Stolarz to add depth between the pipes.
Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Maple Leafs sit in second place in the Atlantic Division, just three points back of the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers. Luckily, they have two games in hand and are in a good spot with a strong chance of winning the division earning home-ice advantage for some of the postseason.
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They haven’t been very active on the trade front just yet, but they could look to add a few finishing touches to their lineup in hopes of winning their first Stanley Cup since 1967. However, a recent report from Elliotte Friedman indicates they might be looking at more than just the trade market, as they have been linked to a free agent out of the NCAA, and seem interested in bringing him in when his current season is completed. 21-year-old Luke Haymes is in his third season with Dartmouth College and has seven goals with three assists for 10 points through 12 games this season.
Haymes is a left-shot centre from Ottawa, Ontario. He played the 2021-22 season with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) where he scored 22 goals and added 27 assists for 49 points through 52 games which comes out to a 0.94 points-per-game average. In his first season with Dartmouth, he scored 11 goals and added five assists for 16 points through 30 games. He followed it up by scoring 18 goals and adding 18 assists for 36 points through 31 games.
Maple Leafs Aren’t Only Team Interested
Haymes missed the first 11 games of the 2024-25 season with an injury after leading the team in scoring last season, but he has still played well offensively despite producing slightly less than last season, just under a point-per-game average. Friedman adds that he assumes the Ottawa Senators are also interested in Haymes, while also hinting some other teams may be looking into signing him.
There is plenty of time to negotiate with Haymes if they’re serious about signing him, so they don’t need to rush. He would likely spend at least two seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) before attempting to make a jump to the NHL, but he may get more opportunities with the Maple Leafs than with any other team, which could be a factor in his decision to turn pro.
Haymes will have plenty of suitors when he chooses where to play next. He has had a successful career in the NCAA and will likely have at least 6-8 teams interested in signing him. He is considered a strong, physical, two-way forward who projects to provide stability in a team’s middle-six at the NHL level. He could be a good addition to the Maple Leafs prospect pool and could take on a larger role with the Toronto Marlies right away while playing with one of the most prestigious minor-league teams of all time.
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