Trade Rumour: Should the Toronto Maple Leafs Trade for Nick Foligno?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the subject of another trade rumour.

This one comes from our old friend Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun who says that “the name Nick Foligno keeps popping up.”  So the question we have is, is Nick Foligno a player the Toronto Maple Leafs should trade for. 

The answer? Yes, and pretty obviously too.

It would definitely depend on the cost, but Foligno would be an excellent addition.  While I definitely think the Leafs should be aiming higher, there is nothing wrong with getting a warrior and defensively elite player like Nick Foligno.

Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumours

Simmons is a villain in these parts – often deservedly so – but this entire trade rumour has been mischaracterized from the start because of the way it’s worded in his article. As I understand it, Steve is just spitballing on how the Leafs would fit such a palyer under the cap (Kerfoot) and who they might have to trade for help in general (Sandin, Robertson, Liljegren), though it doesn’t say specifically for Foligno.

I can assure you that the Leafs will not be trading Sandin or Robertson for a 32 year old checking centre.  But they might trade one or more of those players if it will help their team and doing so makes sense.

If you are all-in, as is the phrase of the week, then you are willing to trade your top prospects. Simple as that.

Foligno is now 33, and he is five  years removed from his career best 26 goal season. He has played the last nine years in Columbus where he has earned a reputation as one of the toughest and best defensive forwards in the NHL.

If we look at his JFresh Player Card we can see that this reputation is well deserved.  For the last three years, Nick Foligno is better than 95% of NHL forwards in the defensive end. He brings almost no offense, but he’d be a pretty solid addition for the 3rd line if the Toronto Maple Leafs think he’s still go it. (He is, after all, 33).

For comparison’s sake, Alex Kerfoot, generally considered the Leafs best defensive forward is better than 74% of NHL forwards at defense.  While Auston Matthews, ridiculously touted for the Selke Award by some, is better than just 21%.  Mitch Marner is better than 68%.

The Leafs current third line is made up Hyman-Engvall-Mikheyev, and I think it’s safe to say that Nick Foligno is an upgrade over Engvall, who, even if he’s an excellent defender isn’t going to bring the same level of meanness and destruction that Foligno brings.

I have often been skeptical of the romanticizing of “playoff hockey” but it’s hard to argue anyone better fits that profile that Nick Foligno.  He has an expiring contract worth $5.5 million, which, Columbus would probably take half of + however much gets prorated for the rest of the season probably makes him affordable.

A lot of us would like to see the Leafs do something crazy like add  Taylor Hall or Anthony Mantha, but this is the type of sensible, low-cost, upgrade that not only makes sense, but is probably easy to get done.

What’s it really going to cost to add Foligno? A second rounder? Maybe Timothy Liljegren if there’s a bidding war?  If so, this is probably smart.  I would put the probability of the Toronto Maple Leafs adding Nick Foligno at extremely high.