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4 Unorthodox Trades/Moves for the Toronto Maple Leafs to Consider

By James Tanner

May 4, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates scoring a goal with defenseman TJ Brodie (78) during the third period of game two of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
May 4, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates scoring a goal with defenseman TJ Brodie (78) during the third period of game two of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 26, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (91) smiles during warm up before a game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (91) smiles during warm up before a game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Make John Tavares a Winger

John Tavares is too slow to be an effective NHL centre at this time.

However, he is still a point per game, elite player, and if he is moved to the wing, he can easily get back to being a 50 goal scorer.

On the other hand, Mitch Marner is one of the NHL’s fastest players, he is one of the NHL’s best defensive forwards, and he has been shafted three straight seasons in a row in his pursuit of 100 points.

How is Mitch Marner not a centre?

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are too good to play together, especially when the Leafs are not short on good players.

Matthews and Tavares would make a bad line because they both want to shoot the puck, so the obvious answer is that Matthews gets paired with Nylander and Bunting, while Marner now centres Tavares and whoever else.

This honestly should have been done two years ago, but better late than never.

Move Tavares to the wing, just like the Lightning moved Steven Stamkos to the wing.

Tavares is a bad defender, and faceoffs have no correlation on winning, so even though he is great at faceoffs, he’s going to help a lot more at the wing.

I have one more unorthodox suggestion:

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