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Maple Leafs linked to 27-point defenseman trade in loose rumor

Maple Leafs linked to 27-point defenseman trade in loose rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Maple Leafs seem likely to make some adjustments to the blue line this offseason.

So even while the latest trade rumor isn't concrete, Sean Durzi would certainly fit a need.

Durzi is a 27-year old defenseman from the Utah Mammoth who had five goals and 22 assists (27 points) in the 2025-26 season.

And one prominent Maple Leafs account on social media, which more often aggregates news, has shared that it sounds like Durzi could be involved in trade talks with Toronto:

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Clearly, with that framing, this isn't news to be taken as religious truth.

It does have some intrigue to it, though, and Durzi could be of interest to new GM John Chayka.

Durzi was originally a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Draft.

He didn't break into the NHL until 2019 with the Los Angeles Kings, who had acquired him as part of the Jake Muzzin trade.

The Kings then traded Durzi to the Coyotes in 2023 for a second-round pick -- it's worth noting that was after Chayka's time in Arizona had come to an end.

Durzi has played 302 NHL games and totaled 30 goals and 114 assists (144 points) along with 563 blocked shots and 241 hits.

He has two years remaining on a four-year deal that pays him $6 million per season, so he's not particularly cheap for a guy who is far from a top-pairing defenseman.

Still, maybe he'd have some intrigue to Toronto as a change-of-scenery candidate to help their defensive unit. If not Durzi, then maybe someone else like him will end up being the answer.