The Toronto Maple Leafs will be making a trade for a defenceman.
That is about as clear as something can possibly be in the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t really have any good options at the position of right defense, they have cap space, all their draft picks, and some players who would coveted by other teams.
In addition to having the need and the means to make a trade, the Leafs definitely have the motive: they are a Cup Contender and have the best roster in the NHL. Add in a top line defender to what is already a great group, and you would have a near perfect team.
Given that St. Louis is all but eliminated from playoff contention, has one of, if not the best, group of prospects in hockey, and gets to keep their draft pick this year if it’s in the lottery, you can see that they too would have motivation. A couple more prospects, an NHL ready draft selection this June, and suddenly they can do what the Leafs did and turn it around.
Let’s just go ahead and assume the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade for Alex Pietrangelo. He’s right handed, he would be a significant upgrade to what the Leafs have, and he’s affordable.
Pietrangelo makes a cap hit of $6.5 million dollars. You cannot oversell the upgrade Alex Pietrangelo would be over Ron Hainsey.
Do the Trade, but Do It Now
One of the biggest problems facing the Leafs is that they play in a division with three of the best teams in the NHL, plus Buffalo. It’s not impossible that at the end of the season, four of the top ten teams in the league could be from the Atlantic Division.
So, if the Leafs want to draw a fair matchup in the Playoffs, they should improve their team well ahead of the trade deadline, in order to maximize their chances.
Tampa is currently pulling ahead, however they have games in hand and the Leafs have pretty much kept pace with them despite missing two of their best players for the majority of the season.
Adding Alex Pietrangelo right now would give the Leafs the best chance they can get to win their division.
The cost – which I suggested yesterday would likely be Kapanen, a First Round Pick and top prospect Timothy Liljegren is not outrageous. You’re adding an elite top pairing defenseman, and you get him for two years. Also, you have to consider that Pietrangelo would make Morgan Rielly that much better by giving him a partner who is as good as he is.
Yeah, losing Kapanen will suck, but he’s priced himself out of town already. At a minimum he’s going to command $4 million and Dubas’ no-trade promise to Nylander (smart, btw) almost guarantees Kapanen is the one who has to go.
Plus, you have to give something to get something.
The pick and the prospect don’t detract from the team on the ice, and any time you can swap out your third line winger (cause he isn’t taking Nylander’s job in the long-term) for a #1 defenseman, you’ve got to do it.
Two seasons with Pietrangelo, probably two cups.
Time for Kyle Dubas to make his first big trade since taking the reins of the Toronto Maple Leafs.