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Top 5 Prospects the Toronto Maple Leafs Are Most Likely to Trade

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 7: Timothy Liljegren #37 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Anaheim Ducks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Ducks 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 7: Timothy Liljegren #37 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Anaheim Ducks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Ducks 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Russia’s Rodion Amirov celebrates a goal during the Ice Hockey Karjala Tournament  . (Photo by Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by VESA MOILANEN/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images) /

No. 3: Rodion Amirov

Why would the Leafs trade their 2020 first round pick to acquire a rental? Well, Toronto shouldn’t even have had a first round pick to begin with last year, so who knows how tied they actually are to Amirov.

By all accounts, Amirov will be an NHLer one day. When that day actually comes, nobody knows.

He’s an effective player because he’s a two-way forward who has a great defensive ability, but can also produce. He scored 13 points in 39 KHL games last year, which is respectable for a 19-year-old.

If you look back at the Kasperi Kapanen trade, it’s possible that the Toronto Maple Leafs could eventually turn him into a top-six forward. Kapanen was a third-line player with the Leafs and they were able to steal a first round pick for him, which turned into Amirov.

If the team is then able to flip Amirov and a draft pick and/or another prospect for a top-six player, that’s a great upgrade.

It’s quite possible that Amirov has a 15 year career and is a second-line centre for the rest of his life, but he’s not playing for the Leafs for at least three years. Within that timeframe, Toronto’s scouting department should be able to replace him through the draft or via trade and free agency, so he’d be a great piece to move.

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