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Toronto Maple Leafs Rumoured to be Looking at Sharks Depth D

By Jeremy Ridgewell

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 20: Jacob Middleton #67 of the San Jose Sharks plays against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 20, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sharks 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 20: Jacob Middleton #67 of the San Jose Sharks plays against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 20, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sharks 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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As is the case every season around the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are linked to every available player on the market. The latest player linked to the Maple Leafs is Jacob Middleton from the San Jose Sharks.

Hockey insider Pierre Lebrun recently mentioned on Insider Trading that the Toronto Maple Leafs are indeed showing interest in Middleton. The message from Toronto GM Kyle Dubas is clear he wants a stay-at-home defenseman.

Dubas addressed this need when he traded Nick Ritchie to Arizona for Ilya Lyubushkin. The physicality and durability that Lyubushkin has brought to the  Leafs defense is a nice addition. Toronto’s problem is that they need more of that.

Since joining the Maple Leafs, Lyubushkin has 27 hits in ten games. If the opposition wants to retrieve the puck from Toronto’s end of the ice, they need to pay the price. Lyubushkin is helping make that a reality, but Toronto would benefit from adding another defenseman with a similar style of play.

Toronto Maple Leafs Interested in Jacob Middleton

Jacob Middleton is a 26-year-old left-shooting defenseman who plays with a physical edge. Middleton has 78 blocks and 81 hits in 41 games this season for the Sharks. The 2021-22 season is his first full season in the NHL, but he doesn’t look out of place.

The big defenseman is averaging over 19 minutes a game for the Sharks. Middleton checks off a lot of boxes for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kyle Dubas would be getting a large (6’3 219 lbs) defensive defenseman who fits under Toronto’s salary cap and has term.

Middleton’s salary cap hit is only $725,000 this season. It means if Jake Muzzin is healthy enough to return from LTIR before the end of the season, Middleton will still fit under the Maple Leafs’ cap.

He will become an RFA this summer, so Toronto will still own his rights which, in a sense, gives them a defenseman with term. Toronto could be getting themselves a big physical defenseman to patrol their blueline for years to come.

Pierre Lebrun says the asking price from San Jose is a 2nd round pick plus another pick or prospect. It is a deal that Toronto can afford to make. It would give them what they need and still allow them to keep their 1st round pick.

Next. The Leafs Should Get Fleury. dark

I think the Toronto Maple Leafs would benefit from adding Jacob Middleton to their blueline. His physicality would be a welcomed addition come playoff time. The asking price is a decent one that I believe Toronto can manage. With five days until the trade deadline, we’ll soon find out if Middleton becomes a Maple Leaf or not.

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