When Mikko Lehtonen landed onto the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, he increased the depth but also increased the chances of a possible trade.
There is a possibility that if Lehtonen fits into the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup, it could shift management to make another move.
That move is trading Travis Dermott.
I know, I know, I don’t like talking about it either, but it’s something that could happen in the future.
When talking about trading Dermott, you think about the good he brings to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The puck-movement, physicality, speed and being able to get under players’ skin are very important parts to his game, which make him important to the team.
Playing him alongside Justin Holl in the shutdown pairing while Jake Muzzin was injured showed a lot of what Dermott has to offer.
And that’s what makes him such a valuable player to hold on to. I guess you could say his contract contributes to that as well.
Although the signing of ‘Europe’s best defenseman’ has increased the chances of Dermott getting traded in the future, there’s always the possibility of him staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs too.
To trade or not to trade Travis Dermott is the big question.
Obviously the 23-year-old brings a lot to the table, and another one of his talents is that he can play on the right side.
There are still options as Sheldon Keefe hasn’t tried Dermott at right defense at the NHL level yet.
And if he succeeds in that role, his spot with the team is secured. But if not, he could be on his way out of Toronto.
The scenarios vary — if he was to leave via trade, you’d expect a better right-shot defenseman in return since it wouldn’t be just Dermott involved in a trade.
At this point though, it’s all ifs and buts.
He gets moved if Lehtonen fits on the right side, or if Dermott doesn’t succeed playing right defense.
But if he plays great alongside possibly Morgan Rielly or Jake Muzzin, he stays. Which then means the Toronto Maple Leafs could have him at a good number for the future.
As much as this seems like a difficult time in terms of who to keep, and who to trade, this has always been a good problem to have.
Depth makes a difference. And at the end of the day, who knows — going into next season both Dermott and Lehtonen still could be here. It’s possible.