The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly hunting for help on the blue line, and while many names have been thrown around, two are rumored to be on the move and could fit.
Toronto has allowed the second-most goals against this at 45 through 14 games, though, their 3.21 goals against per game is only slightly worse than the league average. Still, General Manager John Chayka has said he is looking to bring in another blueliner and has hinted at the possibility of another big-time deal like the Kirill Marchenko trade.
The Leafs have been linked to names like Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Ristolainen, but two others who may be in range are Nashville Predators defenseman Nic Hague and Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson.
Nic Hague and Simon Edvinsson could be perfect fits
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast just over a week ago that the Leafs are not interested in trading forward Easton Cowan but would be willing to part with the 2027 first-round pick they acquired in the Nicholas Roy trade. He also noted Toronto may be open to swapping one of its older veteran defensemen for a younger, long-term solution, which could work with either Hague or Edvinsson.
TSN's Darren Dreger said on the radio show OverDrive that he had heard the Predators were shopping Hague as recently as late last week. The physical, towering six-foot-six defenseman is only 27 years old and carries a cap-friendly $5.5 million hit for two more seasons after this one. The Kitchener native would not add much scoring, but would likely bring passion in coming home to play for a relative hometown team.
A deal for Hague would also be easier to make as more of a depth defenseman compared to Edvinsson, who is a former sixth overall pick and marquee prospect, so Toronto could add him without having to fork over a truckload of assets and still get its long-term fix.
Another home run swing by Chayka?
Edvinsson, however, would be another big move that Chayka could be looking for. The Swedish defenseman is also six-foot-six but a less physical blueliner, one who uses his massive stick and size to knock pucks away and cut down plays, which fits Toronto's need for a more defensive defenseman.
He would add more offense than Hague as well, with 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 points in 150 games over his first two full NHL seasons. His 0.37 points per game works out to a 30-point defenseman, and the Leafs would take that along with the defensive reliability.
That route would be far costlier, and Chayka may need to move quickly. Friedman said Monday on the FAN Hockey Show that "there's a lot of interest in Simon Edvinsson; [Detroit's] asking a high price, but I think the talks there are really picking up."
He also said in his newest podcast episode that the Red Wings would want young centers in a return package for Edvinsson or for disgruntled center Dylan Larkin, which Toronto may have a harder time putting that together than it would for Hague.
The Leafs may very well have to give up Cowen, which they don't want to do, and Edvinsson will need a new contract, with reports suggesting he is seeking an eight-figure cap hit.
Still, nothing is impossible as Toronto could facilitate a three-team trade, sending assets like Colorado's first-round pick to a team with a center Detroit likes, then flipping that player to the Red Wings along with further assets like Toronto's fourth-ranked prospect, center Tinus Luc Koblar.
With both defensemen rumored to be on the move at any time, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Maple Leafs emerge as the team that lands one of them.
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