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Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Alex Kerfoot Trade Scenarios

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs defends against the Montreal Canadiens during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Map[le Leafs 3-1 to win series 4 games to 3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs defends against the Montreal Canadiens during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Map[le Leafs 3-1 to win series 4 games to 3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – MAY 31: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Based on who the Toronto Maple Leafs signed during free agency, it’s safe to assume that Alex Kerfoot won’t be on the roster for much longer.

Alex Kerfoot has always been unjustly hated by Toronto Maple Leafs fans. After getting traded for Nazem Kadri, every fan hoped that Kerfoot would be his exact replacement. However that never happened, and never should have been expected.

Kerfoot is not the same player that Kadri is. They may play the same position, but they bring different elements to the game. Kadri is more of a pest, who will put his body on the line and has a better offensive touch, whereas Kerfoot is a solid third-line centre who can kill penalties and chip in every now and then.

I understand why fans wanted Kerfoot to be Kadri, but that was never going to happen.

Although Kerfoot has been a fine player for the Leafs, his time is up. With a $3.5M cap-hit, Toronto has a few other players lined up to take his position, who are making much less.

David Kampf, Pierre Engvall and potentially Adam Brooks are three centres who are making $1.5M AAV or less and can fill the void of Kerfoot. Kampf would be the most ideal replacement, but worst case scenario, Engvall and Brooks would be fine.

With so much bottom-six depth at centre, you could push Kerfoot to the wing in the top-six, but Michael Bunting, Nick Robertson and/or Nick Ritchie are all better and cheaper options as well.

As such, Kerfoot is now expendable and many teams should be interested in him. As a second/third-line centre or winger, Kerfoot is a good piece on a hockey team, but unfortunately that team isn’t the Toronto Maple Leafs anymore.

Here are three potential trades involving Alex Kerfoot.

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