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One Stop Shopping Spree for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Trade Deadline

By Lucas Bolt

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 7: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen #24 sets for a face-off against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 7: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Kasperi Kapanen #24 sets for a face-off against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few positions that they would like to add to before the trade deadline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs lack physicality, defensive awareness, and a capable backup goaltender able to give Andersen a rest when needed.

The trade deadline is just around the corner and there are rumours started to be heard on who the  Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in. The biggest concern having to be in regards to the backup goalie situation. Although Hutchinson now has 4 wins under Keefe. A GAA of 3.62 and sv% of .886 simply isn’t good enough. (stats from hockeydb.com).

Physicality, grit, and defensive awareness are some of the other perceived flaws to this high octane team

Enter the Minnesota Wild, a team that can provide the Toronto Maple Leafs with a one-stop shopping destination for all their needs.

In the midst of a down season, the Wild sit 25th overall and are one of the oldest teams in the leagues with a couple of bad looking contracts. They are a good defensive team but lack young forwards on good contracts.

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What a potential deal could look like:

To Wild: Johnsson, Kapanen, Hutchinson, Bracco, Kessel Contract @1.2mil, 2020 6th rd pick

To Maple Leafs: Jonas Brodin, Markus Foligno, Alex Stalock

The Wild lack young cheaper forwards, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a plethora of those ready to be used in a trade that can fulfill their needs.

Although Kapanen would be missed for his speed and play on the PK he is a player that many teams would love to have, and if the Toronto Maple Leafs can become a better overall team, then him being traded is something that has to be done.

Paying a player 3.2mil to play on your third line is simply too much for a team that lacks defensive depth, and a capable backup goaltender.

Although both teams here would win, the  Toronto Maple Leafs would have all their problems solved with one trade.

In this deal, they receive Brodin, a top-4 LHD  defencemen who can play the right side and can be paired with Muzzin or Rielly.  Brodin is one of the best defensive players in the NHL.

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Foligno who would go on the 3rd line and provide the much-needed physicality and grit aspect of the game that this team lacks with 139 hits in 41 games, while Stalock who owns a 2.92 GAA and a .903 sv% with 11 wins would help the Leafs when Andersen can’t play.

A trade like this could be the key to a deep playoff run.

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