Should the Toronto maple Leafs Stand Pat at the Trade Deadline?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing well and are on the buying list heading into the trade frenzy

I have always preached that the Toronto Maple Leafs needed something. That may be depth, a defenseman, or even a player with a physical presence. After a busy offseason, the team doesn’t have any holes.

During the team’s rebuild years back in 2015, they lacked skill but had some physical players on the team. Over the years, the Leafs drafted well and developed their skilled players. That saw the depletion of their defensemen and the team’s physical presence.

This past offseason, general manager Kyle Dubas went to work and changed Toronto from a skilled team to a great one. Toronto made seven free-agent signings that impacted their lineup a ton. The biggest names were defenseman T.J. Brodie and forwards Wayne Simmonds and Joe Thornton.

Their other signings give the team more depth and added physicality. That would include winger Jimmy Vesey, goalie Michael Hutchinson, and defenseman Zach Bogosian.

Despite all the additions, the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the teams rumored to add to their team. Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the team wants a forward “in the middle of the lineup.” He is referring to someone either on their third line or to fill in for Thornton or Simmonds.

One of the names brought up was Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators. Another name circling is Bobby Ryan, who is beyond his best years.

There are options out there, as long as Dubas is willing to pay the price. Many of them are rentals with their contracts expiring this offseason. That may not be as much of a concern as the expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken takes place this summer, and Dubas may want to save a roster spot.

Before we even get into who the Leafs should trade for, we need to look at where the team stands right now. From there, we can assess what they are lacking.