Toronto Maple Leafs: Cash in on the Struggling Kings

The Toronto Maple Leafs currently sit near the top of the NHL’s standings.

At the very bottom are the Los Angeles Kings. Twice Stanley Cup champions in recent years, an ageing core is now struggling.

The Leafs’ youthful group, on the other hand, appear to be cruising along quite well, but there’s always room for improvement. So, why not look to teams whose struggles call for change as a way of implementing changes of their own?

Age Isn’t Just a Number

The team has some big names without a doubt. Drew Doughty, Anže Kopitar and Jonathan Quick are perhaps among the best at their positions in the league. These stars, however, have gotten older. And more importantly, so has the rest of their core.

The Kings are the third oldest team in the NHL with an average age of 29. This is a large gap from Toronto’s 27.4. Interestingly enough, seven of the top ten teams in the league have an average age of under 28. The league is getting younger, it’s a well-known fact, and the Kings are yet to totally embrace the idea.

Trading away a player like Tanner Pearson for a 30-year-old Carl Hagelin isn’t helping their case.

Now, if there’s one thing the Leafs have, it’s young talent. And while many of their young pieces are are untouchables, not everyone is immune to moves.

Many are rightfully opposed to trading away young players such as Andreas Johnsson and Connor Brown among others, but they’ll likely be going the other way should a significant trade occur.

The Return

If a deal is made, it’s likely that the main piece coming Toronto’s way will be a defenceman. While Drew Doughty may be the top of everyone’s list, it simply isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

There are other targets, however. Jake Muzzin was recently rumoured to be included in an offer for William Nylander (prior to his signing) by David Pagnotta. We now know this will likely never happen, but the fact that he’s a possibility is intriguing.

If you subscribe to the idea that the Leafs are in need of a physical presence, the veteran defender currently sits with 79 hits, 22 more than the Leafs’ current leader, Zach Hyman. To put this in perspective, Hyman finished last season with 170 hits, which placed place him second on the Leafs, behind Leo Komarov and ahead of Matt Martin.

He also sits at a $4,000,000 cap hit, with a deal that expires in 2020, and could serve as a temporary replacement for Jake Gardiner, if he goes unsigned.

Another option on the blueline could be Alec Martinez. A relatively stable defender, he may be slotted in as a veteran presence, offering a slight upgrade. Though, at $4,000,000 for the next two and a half season, some salary retention may be needed.

The Marlies may also offer some value to the Kings. They’ve had their early season struggles and have made some moves to improve and have since been on the upswing. The Ontario Reign sit second last in the AHL, however, and the two may be able to help each other out.

Final Thoughts

Struggling teams like the Kings may be getting desperate. We’ve heard their shopping Jeff Carter and after David Pagnotta gave rise to the idea of Muzzin being on the move, they may start to clean house.

If the Leafs are looking for an upgrade, why not look to a team who’s not only hovering at the bottom of the standings, but a Western Conference team as well? So what do you think? Which

Kings would you like the Leafs to take a swing at, and would you be comfortable with paying the price?

Thanks for reading!

Stats and salary information courtesy of Hockey Reference and CapFriendly.