The Players We Know the Toronto Maple Leafs Will Not Acquire

The NHL is in flux but one thing we know is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will not be trading for the players who are already off the board.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the middle of exploring their options and trying to convince other NHL clubs to negotiate deals with them. The hope is that they can improve their current roster to not just make the playoffs, but win the Lord Stanley’s Mug.

While the Leafs look at fixing their flaws and covering for their injury woes, they would love to make a deal or two to make that happen. The problem is, some of the players they may have pursued are no longer available.

The Leafs have thus far made one in-season trade. It was to acquire a gritty winger and a backup goaltender. While the deal was given a high grade, it hasn’t been enough to keep Toronto winning games. That’s why they had to make in-house moves including one recent call-up surrounded by strange circumstances. Hopefully, these aren’t the only transactions the team is able to make.

Toronto Maple Leafs at the Trade Deadline

One player that the Leafs were rumoured to be chasing was Blake Coleman. His exciting style of play would have fit nicely into Toronto’s lineup but it turned out that the New Jersey Devils preferred Tampa Bay Lightning’s offer best. Tampa sent Nolan Foote who was a 2019 first-rounder to Jersey along with a 2020 first-round selection.

In a separate deal, the Leafs missed out on getting Andy Greene from the Devils. They weren’t necessarily in play for the former captain of the team but if they were, that ship has now sailed. Greene went to the New York Islanders in exchange for David Quenneville and the Islanders’ 2021 second-round draft pick. Greene approved the deal and waved the no-trade clause in his contract to make it happen.

The NHL clearance sales continued on Family Day. This time, it was the skilled forward Tyler Toffoli who was on the move. He was someone on the editorinleaf.com radar since November. He’ll now be packing his bags to join the Vancouver Canucks. The Los Angeles Kings were able to get a nice package in return. They received forward Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden, a 2020 second-round draft pick, and a 2022 conditional pick.

The list of players doesn’t end there. Jason Zucker also came off the board of February 10 when the Minnesota Wild traded the forward to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s probably for the best that Toronto didn’t chase Zucker due to what the Penguins paid to get him. Going the other way in the exchange were Alex Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison and a 2020 or 2021 first-round pick.

Just yesterday Marco Scandella, Alec Martinez, Dylan Demello and Brandon Dillon all came off the board in trades.

There will certainly be more NHL moves upcoming. Expect them to come in quickly as the days tick down to the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Hopefully, the Toronto Maple Leafs are able to get the players they need to take them deep into the playoffs.