The team that pays $296.3 to sign three very skilled essential players is the Toronto Leafs.
With the NHL Trade Deadline just days away, I’ve prepared a mini-series where I look at trade targets for the Toronto Maple Leafs in each of the four divisions. Next up is the Central Division, a division that could have some serious sleepers for Stanley Cup winners. The Central doesn’t have too many teams that are out of the playoff race; however, the teams that are out of the playoffs could be trade partners for the Maple Leafs.
Teams like the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, and Arizona Coyotes all have players that could interest the Maple Leafs, who are most likely in the hunt for a right-hand defenceman as well as a depth forward or two in anticipation of a lengthy playoff run. This division may be the one that Toronto targets the most – there are so many options for general manager Brad Treliving to be excited about. Unfortunately, there may be too many names, so we will talk about three options that address their roster needs.
Alexey Toropchenko is probably the one player who fits the needs of the Maple Leafs the most but isn’t a defenceman. He could be a near-perfect addition to their bottom six alongside Calle Jarnkrok and John Tavares or even on the last line with David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg. Adding a player who can excel on the forecheck and has a ton of energy may push Ryan Reaves down to the 13th forward; however, that only makes the team deeper. In a physically demanding series, Reaves would most likely check into the lineup fairly often because of his role on the team. But if the series is speed-based, then Toropchenko could fit in very well.
Toropchenko has the skill to play up the lineup as well – he plays a hard game that can be used on other lines throughout the postseason. He could be this year’s Alex Kerfoot or even the new Jarnkrok, who is used in every situation by head coach Sheldon Keefe because he earns the coach’s trust. Toropchenko also has an edge to his game; this season, he has 109 hits in 60 games. He is the ideal forward for the Maple Leafs to pursue if he is made available.
Toropchenko has the skill to play up the lineup as well – he plays a hard game that can be used on other lines throughout the postseason. He could be this year’s Alex Kerfoot or even the new Jarnkrok, who is used in every situation by head coach Sheldon Keefe because he earns the coach’s trust. Toropchenko also has an edge to his game; this season, he has 109 hits in 60 games. He is the ideal forward for the Maple Leafs to pursue if he is made available.
The Arizona Coyotes still have a handful of players that could be moved, some of whom are purely depth options, like Liam O’Brien, but others would be top-nine players on most NHL rosters, like Lawson Crouse. While it is unlikely that he will be traded, weirder things have happened, and you wouldn’t be a good NHL GM if you didn’t do your due diligence.
