Toronto Maple Leafs: NHL Scouts Watching the Marlies Every Night

The Toronto Maple Leafs have let it be known that they are willing to trade their prospects to bolster their playoff roster before the NHL Trade Deadline at 3pm est on March 21st.

According to Sportsnet’s, Elliotte Friedman, NHL GM’s from across the league now heed the call of Toronto Maple Leafs GM, Kyle Dubas, and have sent their scouts to the city of Toronto to explore the assets available in Toronto’s farm system.

In his column, 32 Thoughts, Friedman says he was told “There’s 20 scouts watching the Marlies every night.”  He goes on to insinuate that Marlies point-per-game defenseman, Joseph Duszak, wants to be traded from the organization.

It makes sense.  Duszak is one of AHL’s top scoring defenseman, but has been passed up by Toronto Maple Leafs several times this season when they’ve need a call-up in favour of Alex Biega, Carl Dahlstrom, Kristians Rubins and Mac Hollowell.

What Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects are Being Scouted?

Besides Joseph Duszak, there are a few Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that other NHL teams may be looking to acquire including AHL rookies Alex Steeves, Filip Kral, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Mikhail Abramov and Erik Kallgren or seasoned Toronto Marlies like Joey Anderson, Kristians Rubins and Mac Hollowell.

I don’t think any of these players will garner a great yield in a trade on their own, but they could certainly be included as part of a package for the Toronto Maple Leafs to gain a greater asset.

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t likely actively trying to dump any of these players.  They see value in keeping all of them within the organization.  The only player I could see moving in a minor league one-for-one deal would be Joseph Duszak.  Kyle Dubas seems to accommodate trade requests for players of Duszak’s caliber.

Another player of interest for NHL scouts may be Josh Ho-Sang who has recently returned from representing Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.  Ho-Sang is currently on an AHL contract and free to sign with any NHL team.

Maybe NHL teams are even trying to check up on Michael Hutchinson, though he hasn’t had a start in the last couple weeks.  He may have fallen behind Joseph Woll, Erik Kallgren and Carter Hutton on the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending depth chart, but teams looking for a third goalie may still remember how he helped the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs a couple years ago.

It’ll be sad to see some of these prospects leave the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, but if the Leafs can peddle a prospect to acquire a piece to propel them further in the playoffs, it will be well worth it.