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Top 4 Pending UFAs Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade For

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 09:David Savard #58 of the Columbus Blue Jackets shake hands with John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs after winning 3-0 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 09, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 09:David Savard #58 of the Columbus Blue Jackets shake hands with John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs after winning 3-0 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 09, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 30: Mikael Granlund #64 Prudential Center on January 30, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Predators defeated the Devils 6-5 in the shoot-out. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Mikael Granlund ($3.75M)

Although he’s currently day-to-day with an injury, if the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to acquire another skillful top-six forward, there’s arguably nobody better than Granlund right now.

John Tavares has been one of the most talked about players on Toronto this year because of his inefficiency to score 5v5. He’s still an incredibly valuable player to this roster, but if the Leafs wanted to give him a much better chance to score 5v5, Granlund is their guy.

With a high hockey intelligence, it’s Granlund’s playmaking ability that makes him so deadly. Typically averaging between 30-40 assists per season, he’s been more of the set-up man, than a scorer with Nashville.

Although he’s an assist man, he’s been able to score 20-plus goals in a season on two occasions in his career, so he does have some scoring threat.

Granlund’s production has dropped this season, but it shouldn’t be anything to be worried about. His team isn’t great and he’s been talked about in rumors all year, so that could be getting to his head.

With a fresh start and especially paired with two of Toronto’s core-four, he’d be able to get back to normal quickly.

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