3 Hypothetical Trades Involving Toronto Maple Leafs 1st Round Pick
No. 1: J.T Miller
The Trade:
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: J.T. Miller
- Vancouver Canucks acquire: 2022 1st Round Pick, Alex Kerfoot and Nick Robertson
The Canucks have priced themselves out of being able to afford J.T Miller after this season, so the team may be inclined to trade him to get an asset before he walks out for free.
Vancouver is a fringe playoff-team, so although Miller would help their chances, acquiring a first-round pick, top-nine forward in Kerfoot and potential top-six winger in Robertson could really intrigue them.
Robertson’s skill is something that any team would want to acquire, but it’s his contract that makes him more valuable as he has cost-certainty for the next two years.
Although you never want to lose a potential player like Robertson, Toronto would be trading for someone who they know is really good, right now. Robertson may be really good next year, or he may be terrible. Nobody really knows at this point, but at least with Miller, you know you’re getting a guaranteed 20-goal scorer and someone who has the potential of scoring a point-per game.
During his last three seasons, he has 74 goals and 217 points in 202 games played, so it’s not like his 2021-22 season was a fluke. Miller has continued to show that he’s a perfect top-six forward and at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he’d bring a different element to Toronto’s top-six.
Who cares if you can’t afford to pay him after this year. Make the trade, improve the roster and give yourself a better opportunity to win today.
No. 2: Alex DeBrincat
The Trade:
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Alex DeBrincat
- Chicago Blackhawks acquire: Petr Mrazek, Nick Robertson and 2022 1st Round Pick
It’s been reported that the Blackhawks may trade DeBrincat if they “can get a top-10 pick and a quality prospect.”
Although the Leafs don’t have a top-10 selection, they do have an intriguing prospect that the Blackhawks may be interested in. In a perfect world, Nick Robertson is just a younger DeBrincat, so Chicago could move the 24-year-old for a younger version of himself and save themselves a ton of money.
The Leafs would be taking a risk, but they’d at least be able to trade for one year of a player who they know is a fantastic NHLer already.
At 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, DeBrincat is small in stature, but he puts up huge points every night. He has 307 points in 368 career games and already has two 40-plus goal seasons in the NHL. He’s one of the best pure-goal scorers in the league and if paired beside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, they could make the most lethal line in hockey.
Within this trade package, the Blackhawks would be getting a high-end prospect, a first-round pick and a goaltender. You may think the Mrazek piece is a just a throw-in, but Chicago doesn’t have a goaltender right now, so Mrazek is the perfect number-one goalie for them as they look to start their rebuild.
No. 3: Jordan Binnington
The Trade:
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Jordan Binnington
- St. Louis Blues acquire: 2022 1st Round Pick, Jake Muzzin and Mikhail Abramov
The St. Louis Blues have a little salary cap room left for next year, but they may be inclined to trade Jordan Binnington if they sign Ville Husso to an extension.
Binnington has won with the Blues before, but the Blues may think that Husso is their goaltender of the future, so if that’s the case, it could cause some internal struggles to keep both, thus making Binnington available.
If the Blues re-sign Husso before the NHL Entry Draft, they’ll be in a great position to capitalize, as teams will be lining up for Binnington’s services. The Richmond Hill, ON native went from a nobody to a Stanley Cup winner overnight and could be the piece that Toronto is missing.
His 2022 NHL Playoffs numbers were phenomenal as he posted a 1.72 GAA and .949 SV% and has proved in the past that he can be a Stanley Cup winning goaltender.
Also, as a local kid, you’d think that will motivate him even more to be at his best in front of friend’s and family every night.
Next. 3 More Hypothetical Trades. dark
The Toronto Maple Leafs need a star goalie and Binnington could be that player as they look to finally get over the hump and succeed in the playoffs next year.