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3 Top-Six Forwards That the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Trade For

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 18: Nick Ritchie #20 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks for a puck to tip between Igor Shesterkin #31 and Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 18, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 18: Nick Ritchie #20 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks for a puck to tip between Igor Shesterkin #31 and Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 18, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 28: Kevin Fiala #22 of the Minnesota Wild  (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Kevin Fiala

Fiala is on the last year of his $5.1M deal and is a pending RFA next year. He’s a very interesting player to trade for because even if the team doesn’t want to sign him next year, they can trade his rights in the offseason for an asset.

You’ll probably have to pay a hefty price for someone of Fiala’s talent, but it could be worth it as there aren’t too many better left-wingers who could be available.

Fiala has three 20-goal campaigns in the last five seasons, and has been close to a point-per-game player on a bad offensive Minnesota Wild team the past two years. The former 11th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft could do some serious damage beside Marner and Matthews and could also help the second power-play unit.

Minnesota is currently first in their division, which means he wouldn’t normally be available, but if he is, it’s because of the salary cap. The Wild will have between $12-14M in dead cap for the next few years, which will making signing Fiala very problematical, so they may be inclined to trade him for an asset knowing that they can’t afford him.

Alex Kerfoot’s $3.5M contract could be a nice replacement for Fiala in Minnesota next year, so if the Leafs threw in Kerfoot and a couple draft picks, it may be enough to get the deal done.

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