4 Big-Name Players Toronto Maple Leafs Could Trade For Now
![CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 17: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Chicago Blackhawks reaches to stop a shot by Colton Sissons #10 of the Nashville Predators at the United Center on December 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Predators defeated the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 17: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Chicago Blackhawks reaches to stop a shot by Colton Sissons #10 of the Nashville Predators at the United Center on December 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Predators defeated the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d72ccc0d077e5081d9fa42a1e339c36fbcd34f4662db363a0cdb501e5e953e3a.jpg)
No. 3: Marc Andre-Fleury and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Why would Toronto trade for Marc Andre-Fleury when they already have Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek, you may ask? Well, it’s because neither of those goaltenders can be trusted right now and you need a veteran to steer the ship.
Fleury is coming off a Vezina Trophy during the 2020-21 season and has been to five Stanley Cup’s in his career. Despite playing on one of the worst teams in hockey, on a team that he never even wanted to play for in the first place, his stats have been fine.
The 37-year-old has a .912 SV%, 2.80 GAA this season, which are both slightly above average (stats: hockeydb.com).
If Toronto traded for Fleury, they’d have to trade Mrazek to Chicago in the deal, so you’d have a tandem of Fleury and Campbell heading into the playoffs, which would be great. The competition of Fleury in the room could help spark Campbell and improve his game, while you’d have the safety blanket of Fleury.
Even if the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for Fleury, you wouldn’t necessarily need him to be your starter every night. When the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cup’s, Matt Murray and Fleury split time (even in the playoffs) and it worked. The same thing could happen in Toronto, as that extra reinsurance with Fleury could be the difference in the playoffs.
It’s a crazy idea to use all of that cap-space for a goaltender but Fleury knows what it takes to win and that experience could really help the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially if they find themselves in another Game 7 this spring.