Mason Marchment, the recently traded winger with an $18 million contract, reportedly had the Toronto Maple Leafs on his no-trade list, according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman. This revelation adds another layer to the story of Marchment's journey through the NHL, which recently saw him dealt from the Seattle Kraken to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Marchment, 30, is in the final year of his four-year, $18 million deal, signed with the Dallas Stars in 2022. He has accumulated 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) in 32 games split between the Kraken and Blue Jackets in the 2025-26 season.
The link between Marchment and the Maple Leafs has been a recurring theme in recent years. Toronto was reportedly interested in him as a free agent in 2022, before he signed with Dallas, and again as a potential trade target before his move to Seattle. The Leafs' failure to acquire him on those occasions was attributed to limited cap space and a lack of draft picks or prospects. However, it now appears that Marchment's no-trade list also played a significant role.
On the FAN Hockey Show, Friedman confirmed the existence of Marchment's partial no-trade list, stating that Columbus was not on it, allowing the trade to proceed. This raises the question: why did Marchment include Toronto on his list?
Speculation points to Marchment's earlier stint with the Maple Leafs. Some suggest he was unhappy with how he was handled by the organization. TSN insider Chris Johnston alluded to this on The Chris Johnston Show, potentially explaining Marchment's decision. It was also noted that Marchment initially accepted a lower salary to join Dallas, and Stars GM Jim Nill later accommodated him by facilitating a trade to Seattle, a state with no income tax. Now he is off to Columbus, which also has a lower-tax situation.
The Maple Leafs are currently trying to reshape their roster. The team signed John Tavares to a four-year, $18 million extension in June.
Other NHL teams are also making moves. The Minnesota Wild recently acquired forward Boris Katchouk from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Michael Milne. The Bruins have activated Matej Blumel and Michael Callahan from injured reserve and assigned them to Providence. There are rumors that the Canucks are interested in Blues winger Jordan Kyrou. The Oilers are reportedly looking to trade a forward.
