What Should the Toronto Maple Leafs Do at the Trade Deadline?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have just over one day to improve their team for the playoffs.

With the NHL Trade Deadline tomorrow at 3PM, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to do a lot better than they did last year under similar circumstances.

Last year, you may remember, the Leafs acquired Nick Foligno in a universally praised move. Unfortunately, Foligno was injured and never contributed much.

It is worth remembering, however, that Foligno could have contributed in subsequent rounds, and that the cost to acquire him, and the thinking process that went into deciding to do so were all sound.

The Leafs got bounced due to some very unlucky circumstances, and Nick Foligno could otherwise have been an incredible pick-up – we’ll never know, but what we do know is that retroactively analyzing trades is a fool’s game.

The Leafs made a smart, bold gamble last season and it didn’t pay off.  That doesn’t mean they should be gun-shy this year, however.

So with that in mind, the following a Round Table discussion, featuring the opinions of a variety of Editor in Leafs writers, and their opinions on what the Toronto Maple Leafs should do over the next day and a half.

Mike Jack on What the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Do at the Deadline

The Toronto Maple Leafs top priority should be to add an above average-sized defensive/ two-way, top-four, defenseman that can play the right side.

It would be preferable to get a player with term that they could keep around after this season, but even a rental would do for now.

Of the players involved in recent rumours, Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils would be my pick of players with term. For UFA’s, I would pick Justin Braun from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Mark Pysyk or Colin Miller from the Buffalo Sabres might be okay too. My out-of-the-box picks would be Jamie Oleksiak or Adam Larsson from the Seattle Kraken.

Both players are signed to great multi-year contracts. Either would fit in great with the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially Oleksiak who is a 6’7 beast. Nobody is talking about them, because they both have full no trade-clauses right now, but they could be willing to waive them to go to a contender especially Oleksiak who is a Toronto boy.

Seattle is willing to trade any of their older players for players that can be part of their future. If the Leafs bring in another defenseman, they would have nine NHL defensemen plus some depth defensemen that could fill in from the AHL, so it might be time to trade either Travis Dermott or Justin Holl.

Depth is always good, but the cap space could be used elsewhere. It may be time for the Toronto Maple Leafs to move on from Petr Mrazek.

His value is low right now, but his $3.8 million cap hit could be used to help the Leafs bring in a more useful player. There will be teams that need a goalie that would be willing to take a chance on Mrazek bouncing back.

The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t necessarily have to get a goaltender to replace Mrazek. Jack Campbell will return to form when he returns from injury. Erik Källgren has been great so far, but the Leafs may want an experienced back-up for insurance.

A James Riemer reunion would be amazing. After bringing in a defenseman (and maybe goalie), the Leafs should use whatever remaining assets and cap space they are willing to part with to fit in the best forward they can get preferably someone who can play left wing. They have depth at forward, but better players are better players.

Gordon Munroe

Over the past few playoff appearances, the biggest weakness has been the Toronto Maple Leafs inability to break through a hot goaltender/hard defensive structure.

Time and time again their highly talented and costly forwards have come up snake bitten.

So, this signals that the greatest area of need would be another skilled forward. Luckily, there are a few options that shouldn’t come at a great cost but should be able to supplement their talented core.

These players are: Max Domi, Rickard Rakell, and Brock Boeser.

Domi brings a versatile skill with the possibility of providing a bit of bite to their top-six.

Rakell brings extra skill and play driving to the Leafs top-six allowing them more versatility in their combinations up front.

Boeser would bring a much welcomed additional scoring option, the young sniper would also be an RFA when his contract is up making him much more valuable (and likely costlier) of an acquisition.

The Toronto Maple Leafs should also look to add to the back-end. With Muzzin’s future up in the air, it’d be smart to add another defender that can play top-four minutes on the left side, allowing Brodie to move back to his more natural right side and hopefully attempt to fill the hole left by Jake Muzzin’s absence.

Some options here are: Mark Giordano, Jacob Middleton, and Jakob Chychrun. Giordano would provide leadership and a veteran presence that Muzzin brought to the Leafs blueline.

Although he’s not the Norris trophy caliber defenceman he was a few years ago, he also gives them the added ability of rekindling his chemistry with former teammate TJ Brodie who can slot in alongside him if they choose.

Jacob Middleton, although not the sexiest name was linked to the Leafs recently and would provide some extra size and defensive ability to the Leafs blue line.

Lastly, Jakob Chychrun much like Boeser would be the much costlier acquisition and although he would be exciting, he’d probably be better off as a summer acquisition given all the moving parts that would be required.

Andrew Kogut

It’s funny – when you listen to some of the media talking points and fan twitter/online reactions, it’s hard to believe that so much criticism could pertain to a team that sits tied for fifth overall in the entire NHL and sports a player (1st in goals, 5th in scoring) who is playing well enough to realistically earn both the Hart and Selke.

The fact of the matter is, this Toronto Maple Leafs team has been remarkably competitive and successful the past two months considering both Campbell and Mrazek own a (weirdly) identical .872 Sv% since the All-Star break.

Those numbers are absolutely abysmal. The main target for Dubas at the trade deadline has to be goaltending.

Finding a viable goalie from potential sellers; however, is where things get a little difficult. There have been rumblings of Fleury interest but he’s 37 and has a $7M cap hit; I think there’s a bit too much risk there.

Craig Anderson (41 years old, in May) isn’t the answer either and while Reimer and Bernier are decent options (the former more so than the latter), I think Dubas has to aim a little bit higher.

That’s why my trade target would be Islanders backstopper Semyon Varlamov.

Varlamov is just one year removed from a top-5 Vezina finish season where he (and Trotz’ system, of course) managed 7 shutouts and a .929 Sv%. He has suited up in 34 playoff games for the Isles the past two years to the tune of a .922 Sv% and 2 SO and has still managed to put up a respectable .912 Sv% this season on a fledging NY team.  (naturalstattrick.com).

Varlamov, 34 by the end of April, hasn’t yet passed his prime and can be acquired easier than Fleury, as his cap hit is a more manageable $5M. He also has another year on his contract, and would be a very nice upgrade on Mrazek, assuming the latter is moved during this or another deadline deal.

Ben Dackiw

For the first time in what feels like forever, I don’t hate a certain part of the Toronto Maple Leafs roster.

However, that feeling will only last if Erik Kallgren isn’t just a flash in the pan, although the initial numbers do look good. We will know more in the next few days.

The defense I think is fine. I don’t like moving Holl or Dermott unless we’re absolutely getting an upgrade, and I don’t see the Leafs getting one. The Lyubushkin trade was an absolute home run. I’m fine with the Leafs staying pat on defense and at goaltender as long as Petr Mrazek isn’t the backup.
As for the forwards, something must be done with the second line.

The bottom six look about as good as a bottom six can, particularly the third line. The Leafs need to find someone to put on that left wing beside Tavares and Nylander. I like Nick Robertson, but this is a cup run. You don’t rely on rookies to make a cup run. 

I’d like the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire another Michael Bunting. That line needs someone who can battle in the corners and get loose pucks. Alex Galchenyuk might be available.

Just saying.

James Tanner

What the Toronto Maple Leafs need to do at the NHL Trade Deadline is trade for a star player (or two).

It doesn’t matter if it’s a forward or a defenseman, but all this talk of bit parts is a little annoying.  The Leafs added Ilya Lyubushkin, and that pretty much fills their need for a “defensive defenseman”  so players like Scott Mayfield or Jacob Middleton are not desirable any longer.

I mean, where would they play? Assuming Rielly, Brodie, Muzzin, Sandin, Liljegren and Lyubushkin are the starters of a healthy Leafs team at the moment, which one of those guys would be reasonable to sit for a defensive defenseman?

The correct answer is none of them.

If was in charge, I would be looking at a star player that could line up at left wing on one of the top lines when necessary, but who would mostly play third-line centre.

A player such as Dylan Larkin, J.T Miller, or Claude Giroux.

A team with a star on it’s third line is nearly impossible to defend against (remember the Penguins won three Cups with Crosby-Malkin-Staal down the middle, then Malkin-Crosby-Bonnino (with Kessel)?) and would make the Leafs extremely hard to play.

Plus, moving Kampf down to the fourth line (except when holding a lead) would be another reason to add such a player. The flexibility and the strategies that such an add would give the Leafs would be unreal.

And, if there was any way to further add, I’d like to replace Justin Holl with a star defenseman, and my choice here would be Damon Severson of the Devils, a legitimate #1 top pairing player.

Of course, it this is all just for fun – it will be interesting to see what actually happens, and we’ll only have to wait another day.