5 Toronto Maple Leafs That Could Potentially be Traded
The Toronto Maple Leafs have multiple trade chips on their team they could trade away to free up cap space or even just make their team better. Question is who are they and would the Maple Leafs actually trade them?
With the Toronto Maple Leafs having so much talent on their team, they also have some cap problems that come with that and they have to deal with it someway or another.
They have a handful of players that they could potentially trade away to fix those problems and or even make the team better too. However, who are those players and would Kyle Dubas and staff go ahead and trade these players or at least a couple of them?
Before I start, I am not saying all of these players will get traded by the team, however these are the five players that I think could potentially be traded due to their flexible contracts and they are the players who could maybe fetch something the team desperately needs.
5. Pierre Engvall – 23 years old – LW/RW
Contract – $925K signed through 2019-20 season – New contract $1.25M kicks in 2020-21 signed through 2022-23 season. (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 48 GP – 8 G – 7 A – 15 PTS – CF% of 52.08% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
At my number five spot I have Pierre Engvall, and I really don’t see Engvall being traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs due to the positive value of his cheap contract, but his recent (before play stopped) slump and the Leafs overall depth makes it a possibility.
Pierre is one of those players who could be traded because his cap hit is so low compared to others on the team, but he could also remain on the team for that exact reason. There are other players on the team who could potentially fetch more in a trade. Players like a Kapanen, Johnsson, and even Kerfoot.
Depending on which players the Toronto Maple Leafs choose to keep, there may not be role on this team for Envgall when everyone is healthy again.
4. Alex Kerfoot – 25 years old – C/LW
Contract – $3.5M signed through 2022-23 season (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 65 GP – 9 G – 19 A – 28 PTS – CF% of 52.53% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
At my number four spot I have Alex Kerfoot, and kind of like Pierre Engvall I don’t see Kerfoot being traded for multiple reasons but then again he could be traded because a cheap contract and a player with potentially elite defense could bring back a large return.
Kerfoot has solidified himself as the Toronto Maple Leafs 3C as we all know and I doubt they would want to move him because of that reason, however if the Toronto Maple Leafs and other teams cant come to an agreement on a trade with guys like Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson then Kerfoot may be the next forward they consider moving.
Again, I’m not saying Kerfoot is getting traded but there could be a chance that he could be dealt to free up some cap space or even be part of a trade to get a defensemen on the team to play with Morgan Rielly on the top pair.
3. Travis Dermott – 23 years old – D
Contract – $863.333K ELC signed through 2019-20 season (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 56 GP – 4 G – 7 A – 11 PTS – CF% of 50.00% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
At my number three spot I have the first and only defensemen on this list, Travis Dermott.
Travis is currently on his last year of his ELC (entry level contract) and is in need of a contract extension for next season and beyond.
However with him still being unsigned it’s most likely due to the uncertainty with the team’s cap situation heading into next season and if the Toronto Maple Leafs will bring in a new defensemen to play with Morgan Rielly through free agency or even a trade.
It makes it a bit more obvious that Dermott could potentially be traded to make room for a new defensemen or Dermott could just take a very cheap deal on his next contract and remain a Maple Leafs defensemen for the near future.
Some part of the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line is pretty much set in stone for at least the next two years with Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Justin Holl, Rasmus Sandin, and Timothy Liljegren all under contract for at least the next two seasons.
Although the uncertainty with Timothy Liljegren and if he will be a full timer next season or even in two years time I still threw him on the list of defensemen under contract still.
The Leafs need to make a decision decide if one of Sandin or Dermott can play the right side. If not, Dermott is highly likely to get traded.
2. Kasperi Kapanen – 23 years old – RW
Contract – $3.2M signed through the 2021-22 season (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 69 GP – 13 G – 23 A – 36 PTS – CF% of 51.63% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
At my number two spot I have Kasperi Kapanen.
Now do I think Kasperi Kapanen could get traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Yes and no for multiple reasons. For starters I have him on this list at number two on this list because I don’t think the Maple Leafs would want to part ways with a player of his capability but it defiantly still is possible they could trade him for a good return.
The fact is that, as good as Kapanen is, he is never going to play ahead of William Nylander or Mitch Marner on the right side of the Toronto Maple Leafs top two lines.
As a third line winger making over $3 million, he’s likely to be traded.
Kapanen brings a whole other element to his game unlike Johnsson, and Kerfoot. Yes Kapanen could easily fetch more in a trade rather than Johnsson and Kerfoot but if you lose a guy like Kapanen you lose his speed, his grit even though he isn’t the biggest guy on the ice, and you also lose his penalty kill specialty.
However I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets traded because the Toronto Maple Leafs have a ton of natural right wingers so losing one more wouldn’t hurt rather than losing one more left winger which they are short on.
Shipping out Kapanen could defiantly fill the need of a top 4 D the team desperately needs to play with Rielly on that top pair.
1. Andreas Johnsson – 25 years old – LW
Contract – $3.4M signed through 2022-23 season (Stats from CapFriendly.com)
2019-20 stats – 43 GP – 8 G – 13 A – 21 PTS – CF% of 53.13% (Stats from NaturalStatTrick.com)
Finally at my number one spot on this list I have Andreas Johnsson.
In a lot of peoples eyes they see Andreas Johnsson as the player most likely to be traded even though Kasperi Kapanen is perhaps more valuable than Johnsson.
I’m on the fence on who to truly trade here, like I said losing Johnsson you lose a natural left winger on this team and they don’t have a lot of them. You lose a Kapanen you lose another right winger and the team has a decent amount of natural right wingers.
If the Leafs believe their top two left wingers are Mikheyev and Hyman, then Johnsson likely gets traded. He’s too expensive for a third line left winger. If the Leafs see Johnsson on one of the top two lines, they he’ll likely stay.
Trading a guy like Johnsson could potentially fix their defensive problems as he is only a year removed from scoring at a first line rate.
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Maybe focussing a trade around Johnsson but including a guy like Dermott, Bracco, and possibly a pick could get the job done for a very good defensemen.
Either way, Johnsson is the most likely to be traded.