No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Option: Patrick Kane
We’ve been saying this for a few years now, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are in win-now mode. As a result, the team needs to do whatever they can to improve their roster.
Whether that means trading draft picks, prospects, roster players or ushers from Scotiabank Arena, it doesn’t matter. If the trade means an improvement to the roster, then they need to make it and not worry about the potential long-term problems.
If you think the Leafs offense is already loaded and they don’t need any help, ask yourself what that core has done over the past five years?
They haven’t advanced past the first round in 19 years and in every meaningful game the team’s best players can’t score any goals. So, who better to fix that problem than a player with three Stanley Cup ring’s, a Conn Smythe and Hart Trophy?
I don’t care how expensive his contract is. Kane has 52 goals and 132 points in 136 career playoff games and would be re-motivated to try and win his fourth ring.
He obviously has a “no-move-clause” so joining the Toronto Maple Leafs would be his decision, but who wouldn’t want to play alongside Auston Matthews every night and have a chance at another Stanley Cup for an Original Six team.
If the Leafs can get anyone, it should be Kane.