Leafs linked to an NHL captain in trade reports

The idea of Roman Josi ending up with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been around for months, but with the 2026-27 season now getting underway, the possibility is starting to feel a little more intriguing.

The Josi-to-Toronto concept was first floated publicly by NHL insider Jeff Marek during the summer. In June, Marek was asked which player he would be calling about if he were Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka, and Josi was one of the names he identified as a potential target.

That doesn't mean a trade is imminent, of course. But the circumstances surrounding both teams make the idea worth revisiting.

Josi is currently in the seventh season of his eight-year, $72.472 million contract with the Nashville Predators. The deal carries a $9.059 million annual cap hit and runs through the 2027-28 season, when the veteran defenseman is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. He also has a no-movement clause.

The contract is obviously the biggest obstacle for Toronto. Adding a defenseman with a $9 million-plus cap hit would require some serious salary-cap maneuvering, particularly after the Leafs made their blockbuster acquisition of Kirill Marchenko from Columbus. Toronto has already shown this offseason that Chayka is willing to make major changes to the roster, but acquiring Josi would be on another level entirely.

For Nashville, meanwhile, the situation is fascinating.

The Predators have entered a new era with Chris MacFarland taking over as president of hockey operations and general manager following Barry Trotz's departure. MacFarland has spoken about building Nashville into a Stanley Cup contender, while also acknowledging that the draft will be an important part of the organization's path forward.

Interestingly, Josi himself recently indicated that he believes MacFarland wants to win now, which would seem to push against the idea of an immediate rebuild. Nashville also made several moves this summer, including acquiring Mavrik Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin from Dallas and later moving Luke Evangelista to New Jersey for first- and second-round picks.

Still, if MacFarland ultimately decides that Nashville needs to pivot toward a younger core, Josi could become one of the most valuable trade chips in the NHL.

At 36 years old, Josi is obviously no longer a long-term piece for a rebuilding team. But he remains an elite puck-moving defenseman, a proven leader and a player with enormous postseason experience. For Toronto, adding Josi would give the club a legitimate top-pairing veteran who could immediately change the complexion of its blue line.

The biggest question would be whether Josi actually wants to leave Nashville. His no-movement clause gives him significant control over his destination, meaning the Predators couldn't simply decide to send him to Toronto without his cooperation.

That is ultimately why this remains a fascinating possibility rather than a straightforward trade rumor.

The Leafs would need Nashville to become sellers, Josi to approve Toronto as a destination, and Chayka to find a way to absorb his contract. That's a lot of pieces that need to fall into place.

But Marek put Josi's name on the radar months ago, and with a new GM now running the Predators, it is a storyline worth watching as the season gets underway.