The Toronto Maple Leafs have made it known that they are buyers as the trade deadline approaches, and one area where they should and might be looking to improve on is the defense.
The Toronto Maple Leafs as we all know have been linked to almost every single available player that is headed to the market as the trade deadline rolls around the corner.
Kyle Dubas announced publicly in his mid-season presser that most of their calls have been about acquiring a forward, keyword “most”. That means they are probably working the phones about defensemen and goalies too but just not as much as trying to acquire that top-six forward.
There have been talks about potentially acquiring defensemen Mattias Ekholm from Nashville, however, since that seems like a longshot, here are three other options.
3. Niklas Hjalmarsson – 33 years old – D
2020-21 stats – 29 GP – 0 G – 4 A – 4 PTS – 44.0 CF%
Career stats – 809 GP – 25 G – 146 A – 171 PTS – 51.2 CF%
Niklas Hjalmarsson is having yet another good year defensively for the Arizona Coyotes, and he may be potentially on the move if the Coyotes aren’t in the playoff mix and are looking to gain assets after losing some draft picks recently. The only problem right now is he is currently listed on the IR, so this would obviously be dependent on his health.
Hjalmarsson, who is 33 years old is in the last year of his two-year deal with Arizona which is carrying an AAV of $5M. Niklas provides no offense but is considered elite at defending.
Currently, in fifth place, and tied with St. Louis for the last playoff spot and only seven points out of second-last in the West Divison, if the Coyotes fall back outside of the playoff picture, could we maybe see them part ways with Hjalmarsson ahead of the trade deadline?
The Toronto Maple Leafs could definitely benefit from a defensive specialist like Hjalmarsson. Per Evolving-Hockey, this season Hjalmarsson ranks third on the Coyotes with a 1.82 GA/60 (goals against per 60 minutes), ranks fourth with a 2.05 xGA/60 (expected goals against per 60 minutes), and he also ranks third with a 26.20 SA/60 (shots against per 60 minutes)
All three of those advanced analytics should be enough to see how good this player has been defensively for the Arizona Coyotes, and even stretching back to when he was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks when they won their three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. (Stats from Hockey-Reference.com)