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: Kasperi Kapanen is Biggest Trade Chip
The Leafs have a cavalcade of talented young stars. We can all agree on that, right? From Auston Matthews to Mitch Marner to even Andreas Johnsson and Travis Dermott, their crop of 25-and-under weapons is potentially more lethal than any in the league.
Still, their roster is incomplete. There are holes on this Leafs team – holes that could potentially represent the difference between an extended shot at the Stanley Cup and yet another first-round exit. Something needs to be done, either via trade, free agency, or internal promotion.
Which then begs the question; who goes? Who will be the central part of the trade that could land the Leafs the final piece to their puzzle?
If you ask Matthew, that would be Kasperi Kapanen. Give his latest piece a read to find out why.
“You might be thinking, if Kapanen is so good, why would the Leafs want to deal him?
Well with Kapanen or not, the Leafs are offensively loaded, but defensively slacking. Even before Nylander was re-signed, he was rumoured to have been shopped around for a defenceman. Now that he is back and playing well, it looks like Kapanen finds himself as the expendable one.
Kapanen’s attraction to other teams, including the value he holds and the fact that he is not one of either Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner or William Nylander, makes him a forward that can be shopped. Not to mention, he’s an RFA at the end of the season and the Leafs are already struggling with cap crunching.”
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Time to Trade Nazem Kadri is Now
Speaking of trade chips, could yet another central Leaf piece be the key to improvement?
Nazem Kadri is a phenomenal player. That’s not up for debate. He’s a perennial 30-goal-scorer, one of the better two-way centres in the NHL, and is currently signed to a sweetheart deal at a bargain cap hit for the foreseeable future.
So, why trade him? Well, according to James, because of all the things that were just mentioned.
With William Nylander demonstrating just how well his game adapts to being placed down the middle, the best path for the young Swede long-term might be as a centre, which would then make Kadri expendable. And considering how centres are being sold off at a premium these days, James makes the argument that the package Kyle Dubas could recoup for Kadri might exhibit better value than keeping him around.
Do you agree? Take a look at James’ piece from this week to find out.
“Nylander can’t be a winger. If you have a player like that, and he can play centre, you play him at centre. I’ve been talking about having Nylander at centre on this site for three years, and after last night, it’s clear that that is where his future lies.
William Nylander is better than Nazem Kadri today, and the difference will only get more pronounced as time goes on, and as such, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to trade Nazem Kadri.”
Toronto Maple Leafs: Past Trade Deadline Refresher
The trade deadline is always a highly stressful affair in Leafs Nation. Normally, the Leafs enter the festivities as clear sellers, looking to pawn off the salvageable pieces of their dilapidated roster for whatever they can manage to get back.
Obviously, things are different now. These Leafs are contenders, having firmly moved into the “Buyer” status with their hearts set on a trip to the Stanley Cup. Doing so requires a few mid-season upgrades.
How has their pursuit of contention worked out at recent deadlines? In his latest piece, Jack takes you on a trip down memory lane to find out.
Give it a read!
“Fans may also remember the 2015 deadline as the one the Leafs pulled off the impossible.
They were finally able to unload the David Clarkson contract to Columbus. In return for the 7 years, $5.25 million deal, the Leafs received Nathan Horton. The LTIR ridden winger would allow for some cap relief, as his contract was taken off the cap due to injury.
Also around this time of year, teams are looking to not only dump players and contracts but to add veteran presences for the playoffs. In this event, it was the Pittsburgh Penguins offering Zach Sill, as well as 4th and 2nd round picks. The latter would turn into Carl Grundström in 2016.
In return, the bottomfeeder Leafs sent Daniel Winnik.”
Thanks for reading!