With the trade market heating up, we need to see which Toronto Maple Leafs can be heading out the door
The NHL trade deadline is on April 12th this year. The Toronto Maple Leafs are at the top of the standings, which means they will be buyers in the trade market.
Trade speculations are heating up more and more as every day passes. A lot of focus is on who the Leafs should acquire, but not enough on who could be heading out the door. Here I will categorize each player on the Leafs from ‘untouchables’ to ‘on the trade block.’
Page 1. ‘Untouchables’ Page 2. ‘Borderline Untouchable’ Page 3. ‘UFAs to Hold’ Page 4. ‘Up in the Air’ Page 5. ‘System Players’ Page 6. ‘Names on the Trade Block’
Untouchables
- C. Auston Matthews
- RW. Mitch Marner
- C. John Tavares
- LW/RW. William Nylander
- LD. Morgan Rielly
The Toronto Maple Leafs struck gold when they won the lottery to select Auston Matthews with the first pick of the 2016 NHL Draft. Since then, he emerged as arguably the second-best player in the league and arguably the best goal-scorer.
The year prior, Toronto drafted Mitch Marner with the fourth overall pick. He doesn’t get as much praise as Matthews, but the 23-year-old is not far behind in production. He also adds elite defensive instincts and creativity.
The hometown kid, John Tavares, was a jaw-dropping acquisition for Toronto during the 2018 free agent frenzy. He brings leadership, a veteran presence, and elite goal-scoring to an already potent offense. While the length of his contract may concern some, his impact is undeniable.
There is not a more underappreciated player in Toronto than William Nylander. His contract was questioned by some at first but quickly turned to a steal, as he regularly posts advanced analytics that place him among the game’s elite, while he has also scored the 11th most goals in the NHL since the start of last season.
The 2012 NHL Draft lacked elite players, but Morgan Rielly was one of the few. He was rushed into the NHL as an 18-year-old and has become an elite offensive-leaning two-way defenseman. Let’s not forget the cheap contract he has been signed to, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs build around him.