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Top 8 Defensemen with Term the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Trade For

By Mike Jack

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: (l-r) Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan of the Toronto Maple Leafs handle the draft table during the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: (l-r) Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan of the Toronto Maple Leafs handle the draft table during the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Vladislav Gavrikov
Dec 16, 2021; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov (44) pulls down  t: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports /

Vladislav Gavrikov from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Age: 26
Height: 6’3
Weight: 213 lbs
Shoots: Left
Cap Hit: $2,800,000 until 2023

Like the other defensemen on this list, Vladislav Gavrikov has size, he hits and blocks shots.  I ranked him #4 on this list because he has far fewer giveaways than the other defensemen mentioned so far which is a quality the Toronto Maple Leafs could use.

Gavrikov also has offensive upside.  He’s no Morgan Reilly or even Damon Severson when it comes to offense, but he’s comparable to Ryan Graves and would be Toronto’s second best defensemen offensively.

His $2.8 million salary for one more season makes him the most affordable option on this list.  It’s also a bargain considering his talent and ability to play first line minutes with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Vladislav Gavrikov does shoot left and doesn’t have much experience on the right side as far as I know, which does make it more difficult to know where he’d fit in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup.

It’s also difficult to know where he fits in the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  They seem to always be hovering around the playoff bubble without ever really taking much of a step forward or backward.

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