Maple Leafs Clear Out Two Players in Salary Dump

It's strange to hear that former GM Kyle Dubas was doing some business in helping out the Toronto Maple Leafs at the final bell of today's trade deadline, but there he was, taking Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar off the Leafs' hands in a trade with his Pittsburgh Penguins to allow the Buds to clear salary cap space for the deals they had made earlier.

The #pens are giving up a late-round draft pick to take Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar from Toronto. The #leafs needed to clear salary.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 7, 2025

The Penguins sent a late-round draft pick to Toronto and took back mobile defenseman Timmins and his $1.1 million cap hit, along with Dewar and his $1.18 million. Timmins was brought into the Leafs by Dubas back in 2022. They were originally thought to be in the Boston deal for Brandon Carlo, but this was a separate transaction.

Conor Timmins & Connor Dewar traded to Penguins

The 26-year-old defender recorded two goals, six assists, and eight points in 51 games this season as a third-pairing or depth D-man for Toronto, while averaging 16:19 time on the ice.

Dewar, a 25-year-old checking center was brought in at the trade deadline in 2023 from the Minnesota Wild. He began the year on IR, and in 31 games has only averaged 9:58 of ice time, while recording three assists.

With the additions of center Scott Laughton from Philadelphia, and defenseman Carlo from Boston, Dewar and Timmins had no further role on the Leafs' roster, and Toronto needed that $2.3M in cap space.