The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in business, baby!
The regular season is now firmly out of the winter break, and the Editor in Leaf staff have been working around the clock to bring you, our loyal readers, right into the middle of the action. Every angle has been covered, and every stone has been overturned.
With so many stories hitting the wall all at once, it’s easy to lose a few in the shuffle. So, enjoy this roundup of this week’s notable pieces.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Potential Trade Deadline Targets
There’s nothing quite like the trade deadline. It’s a celebration of sorts – the collective honouring of one of life’s most inescapable qualities; leaving things to the last minute.
Think about it, for a second. There are approximately 5 months in the season before the trade deadline hits. That means there are 5 full months in which NHL general managers can make trades, scout potential targets, and evaluate their entire roster. And yet, year after year, they wait until, quite literally, the last possible day of the league calendar to act.
What’s more relatable than that?
The Leafs seem to have already made their moves before the clock began ticking the loudest. In acquiring Jake Muzzin, Kyle Dubas has shored up his roster’s most glaring weakness and paid a comparatively minimal price to do it.
But is there still more to come? Rumours point to yes. Which is why, in his latest piece, James put together a staggering slideshow of all the potential targets the Leafs could pursue prior to the deadline.
It’s a doozy. You should give it a read.
“Ferland is 26, he scored 21 last year and should approach 25 this year. He is a positive possession player two years running, and he brings some grit to a lineup that could use a touch *(not at the expense of sanity, but all things being equal, why not?)
Also, and this is the big draw: he makes less than two million and so he’d fit in under the cap for the Leafs all in this year. He’s better than every left winger they have, except Andreas Johnsson who they idiotically play on the fourth line.
Ferland is like Zach Hyman, if Zach Hyman could score goals. He’d be a perfect grinder option for a Matthews/Nylander combo (which we’ll eventually see with regularity) or he’d be a perfect, cheaper, upgrade on Zach Hyman.”
Toronto Maple Leafs: A Potential Trade with Carolina
I have taken Chris’ article here as a legitimate act of aggression against me. You’ll understand why when you read it.
As mentioned in the last section, it’s likely that the Leafs aren’t done being players in the trade market, and one of their most speculated partners has been none other than the Carolina Hurricanes. In fact, it was reported that Laurence Gilman was actually in Carolina last week to take in a game or two.
As such, Chris has focused on a potential deal with the Hurricanes that would re-shape the Leafs’ blueline and sell high on a burgeoning asset.
What to find out more? Read on.
“So, hear me out for this potential trade that I think would be fair for both sides.
The Toronto Maple Leafs send Nikita Zaitsev, Trevor Moore and a 2nd round draft pick to Carolina who sends back Dougie Hamilton. I think this works for Toronto because it raises the skill level of their second line. The Maple Leafs’ top 4 defenders for this playoff run would be Reilly, Muzzin, Gardiner and Hamilton which would be one of the strongest in the league. Hamilton’s contract will also run longer and fill the gap that pending UFA Jake Gardiner will leave if he chooses not to re-sign with Toronto.
From the Carolina side, you can look at this trade as beneficial for both their defence and forwards.”
Toronto Maple Leafs: Andreas Johnsson is a Budding Star
Hey, that Andreas Johnsson fellow is pretty good, isn’t he?
The fact that Johnsson appears destined to hit the 20-goal mark this season despite playing the majority of his minutes on the fourth line is incredible. With no disrespect to Frederik Gauthier and Par Lindholm, those two aren’t exactly offensive dynamos.
And yet, Johnsson doesn’t care. He’s chugged along at a ridiculous pace throughout his first full NHL season thus and has injected the Leafs’ bottom-six with a degree of depth they’ve arguably never had before.
Just how high is his cieling? That’s what Jarrett sought to find out in his piece from last week.
Give it a read.
“In fact, in 22 years since ice time tracking began, only 3 players have matched Johnsson’s 0.58 points/game this season while playing less than 13 minutes/game*. Those 3 players were Ryan Getzlaf, Alexander Radulov, and Pierre Turgeon, which puts Johnsson among some elite company.
For those who have watched Johnsson’s progression over the past calendar year, his play this season should come as no surprise.
In last year’s Calder Cup playoffs, Johnsson dominated the American League, scoring 24 points in 16 games on his way to a Calder Cup championship and playoff MVP honours. That capped off a stretch that saw Johnsson score 49 points in the final 32 games of his AHL season.”
Thanks for reading!