Toronto Maple Leafs: Ranking the Possible Options for Petr Mrazek

Find a Trade Partner

If only finding a trade partner was as easy of an approach as we make it sound. If that was really the case, the Toronto Maple Leafs would already be free of Petr Mrazek’s contract.

There not many goalies available on the trade market that would balance out the Toronto Maple Leafs salary cap situation, even if Petr Mrazek heads the other way.

One suggestion has been floated around bringing John Gibson to Toronto, but such a deal requires the Anaheim Ducks to not only retain salary but also take out the expensive contract for a lacklustre performer.

It feels highly unlikely that the Ducks will seek Mrazek to back-stop their young and hungry group. While he does bring experience, he isn’t exactly a stable option to sit behind younger players.

The usual candidates are of course out there and lacking stable goaltending. The likes of the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes have money available to spend and both need goalies.

Neither will be out to grant the Maple Leafs a favour though and in all likelihood, Mrazek has included both on his 10-team no trade list as neither looks to be a strong contender right now.

It’s a genuinely challenging task at hand for Kyle Dubas to find a deal that makes sense because simply put; while a trade is the best possible outcome for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it is one that will likely require additional assets to get it done especially if they don’t want to retain salary.

The teams that Mrazek might want to go to aren’t in a spot to pay his salary, especially if they see him as a number two. The teams that can afford him, he may very well veto.

It really is a tough spot; what will be telling is how the Leafs get themselves out of it.