10 Massive Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Targets for the NHL Trade Deadline

Andrei Kuzmenko (LW)

Andrei Kuzmenko is an interesting player to potentially be acquired by the Maple Leafs. He is the only NHL rookie on this list after getting off to a strong start in his first NHL season.

At 26 years old, Kuzmenko has played professionally in Russia for a pair of teams in the KHL. His best season was last year where with SKA St. Petersburg, he netted 20 goals and 33 assists for a total of 53 points in 45 games.

Kuzmenko stands 5’11”, 194 lbs. He may not be the big body the Leafs would want to add but his skill more than makes up for it. The Yakutsk, Russia native’s game has translated nicely in North America. With the Vancouver Canucks, he has found his place on the second line. He plays left wing, often next to Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander. He also plays behind former Maple Leafs left-winger, Ilya Mikheyev. Kuzmenko and Souperman may have already discussed what it’s like to play in Toronto.

Through his first 19 games, Kuzmenko has been outstanding. He has recorded 16 points evenly split between goals and assists for the struggling Canucks. With Kuzmenko playing on an expiring contract, making him an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, a swap might just be the ideal move for both Vancouver and Toronto.

The Leafs may not just see him as a potential spark to their current lineup as a rental. At his young age, the Buds might also see this potential acquisition as an opportunity to extend Kuzmenko and keep him in Toronto beyond this season.