Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Trades to Replace Jake Muzzin
By Mike Jack
Vladislav Gavrikov – Columbus Blue Jackets
Vladislav Gavrikov may be the best bet for the Toronto Maple Leafs to replace Jake Muzzin through a trade.
He’s another great two-way defenseman who hits, blocks shots, kills penalties and can chip in offensively.
e’s the same size as Muzzin and is also left-handed, so he’d fit right into Muzzin’s roster slot perfectly.
Gavrikov seems like a bit of an under-the-radar player and isn’t as popular as Klingberg or Dumba, which could work to the Leafs advantage. The asking price for Gavrikov should be a bit cheaper.
His AAV is a bit cheaper too at only $2.8 million. If the Leafs re-signed him, he should get a bit of a raise, but he should still be cheaper than Muzzin.
He’ll be 28 years old at the trade deadline, so he still has some hockey left to play. This is his fourth NHL season since leaving the KHL, and I don’t know how loyal he or his agent will be to the bottom-feeding Blue Jackets during contract negotiations.
Next. WJC Predictions for Leafs Prospects. dark
There are many other options for the Toronto Maple Leafs if Jake Muzzin doesn’t return. Perhaps Liljegren, Sandin and Jordie Benn will play well enough that the Leafs will decide to upgrade with a forward instead. I hear Patrick Kane may be available.