10 Massive Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Targets for the NHL Trade Deadline
Matt Dumba (RD)
In 2012, the Minnesota Wild drafted a player they anticipated would be the face of the franchise. They picked Matt Dumba seventh-overall thanks to his puck presence, smooth skating, offense, and heavy shot.
In 2018, Wild GM Paul Fenton signed Dumba to a 5-year, $30 million contract extension. It appeared to be an excellent team-friendly deal as the big defenseman had just come off a 48 point campaign. His offense had shone through, just like it had when he was playing Major Junior in the WHL.
Since then, Dumba’s stick has significantly cooled. In fact, his best point production total while playing on his current deal topped out at 27. Dumba’s defense has also been heavily criticized. He seems to find himself making errors on the ice that frustrate Wild fans. On the Maple Leafs, Dumba is the sort of player who would likely invite the same vitriol as Jake Gardiner (though the hate shown for Gardiner was undeserved).
With that in mind, the question needs to be asked; why would the Leafs be interested in adding Dumba? Even though he isn’t going to play on the top pairing, Dumba can make a real impact in Toronto. He is a player who lays his body on the line in different ways. Dumba isn’t shy to block shots and gladly uses all of his 6 foot, 182 lbs frame to flatter opponents on the glass. Last season, he threw 114 hits.
With the right partner, Dumba could give the Leafs exactly what they need. The 28-year-old Regina, Saskatchewan native can eat minutes, be physical, and help control the play from the back end. Best yet, the asking price that Minnesota could now demanded is nowhere near where it once was. Toronto could get Dumba without having to mortgage their future.
Andreas Athanasiou (F)
In 2012, the Detroit Red Wings found a diamond in the rough by drafting Andreas Athanasiou in the fourth round, 110th overall. In 2018-19, he had a 30-goal season, a mark he hasn’t been able to replicate. Now playing in his eighth NHL season, Athanasiou could make a nice addition to a playoff bound team.
The Maple Leafs should have interest thanks to Athanasiou’s ability to speed up the game and put opponents on their heels. He can also play all three forward positions though he shoots left and has spent most of his time on the wing. This versatility can only help Coach Sheldon Keefe juggle his lines.
Athanasiou bet on himself this summer, signing a one-year $3 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He is proving that he remains a top-six forward in the league who can produce for his club. On the Maple Leafs, however, Athanasiou’s role would be better suited as a bottom-six player. He can inject offense and energy when the team’s core players are resting. It throws a a different look at opponents, which can be difficult to defend.
At age 28, through his first 19 games of the season, Athanasiou has a total of six goals and three assists which has pushed him to 205 career points. He has also racked up 18 penalty minutes this season.
For the Leafs, there could be added motivation for Athanasiou to perform, playing in front of his childhood friends and family. Born in Mississauga and playing his minor hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, there should be no shortage of friendly faces in the crowd for every Leafs home game.
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.
Max Domi (C, LW)
The son of Maple Leafs legend and failed stand-up comedian, Tie Domi, could be a good fit in the Big Smoke. Unlike his father, the 27-year-old Max Domi isn’t a fighter (though he does have 13 career scraps in the NHL). Instead, he has established himself as a skilled irritant.
Domi’s grit would be a welcome addition to the Leafs. The team doesn’t have anyone that plays like him. With the ability to play both center and left wing, score, and set up his teammates, there are multiple places where Domi could fit in Toronto. However, there are still holes in his game. Domi’s defensive play has a lot to be desired.
Just like Athanasiou, Domi agreed to a one-year contract with the Blackhawks GM, Kyle Davidson, for $3 million. So far, his time in Chicago has been productive. In his first 19 games of the season, Domi has registered five goals and nine assists, good enough to make him the second leading scorer on the team.
Consistency has been Domi’s biggest issue in the NHL. With the Montreal Canadiens, he had a 72-point season on 28 goals and 44 assists. Last season, between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes, Domi recorded 11 goals and 28 assists for a total of 39 points in 72 games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs would benefit from adding another weapon up front. Giving the team more depth allows them to roll their lines with more confidence. It may also mean giving the Leafs top players someone to help by their side.
Scott Mayfield (RD)
The Maple Leafs could very much benefit from an upgrade on their blue line, especially if Jake Muzzin isn’t able to return from his neck injury. Adding a 6’5’’, 220 lbs shutdown defenseman would be the upgrade the Leafs may be looking for. That is why Scott Mayfield is certainly on the front office’s wish list.
Mayfield plays for the New York Islanders, who have had a strong start to the season, a significant change for the organization. They didn’t qualify for the playoffs last year. GM Lou Lamoriello hopes that his team’s fortune has turned this season, but if he’s wrong, Mayfield should be available come the trade deadline.
Mayfield isn’t the quickest player and does get beaten by those who speed to the outside but he will protect the middle and in front of his own goal with purpose. Defense is even more important in the playoffs and there’s no question it’s what Mayfield will offer every night. Last season, he had a Corsi percentage of 49.0. That was 2.7 points higher relative to the rest of his team.
While the 30 year old is known to be reliable in his own zone, he seems to have found an offensive touch that hasn’t been his specialty so far in his career. That’s why it’s surprising that the big man so far this season has tallied four goals and two assists in 21 games. It’s not a pace fans should expect to continue. Mayfield’s highest goal total came in 2020 when he managed to pot five goals in 67 games.
John Klingberg (RD)
The Toronto Maple Leafs would love to be able to bring the top available defenseman to Toronto by the trade deadline. More than likely, that will be John Klingberg.
The 30-year-old from Sweden has spent the first eight years of his NHL career playing for the Dallas Stars. That’s where he built a name for himself by being able to competently move the puck or carry it out of trouble and being a reliable defender.
Klingberg has also proven that he can log big minutes and make a significant impact while doing it. Most of all, it’s because he also contributes to his team’s offense. His metrics are outstanding. Last season, Klingberg had 1.7 points per 60 minutes in all situations. Through his entire eight years with Dallas, he averaged 0.68 points per game.
A player like Klingberg shouldn’t even become available this season. (It’s important to note that he does have a no-trade clause in his contract that will expire on Jan 1, 2023. At that point, it’ll transform into a ten-team no-trade clause, though both can be waived.) The reason the Maple Leafs will even have a chance at acquiring six-foot-three, 190 lbs blue liner is because he’s playing for the Anaheim Ducks on a one-year deal.
Unable to come to terms on an extension with the Stars, Klingberg agreed to play a single year with Anaheim for $7 million. According to the Athletic, Klingberg and his agent actually declined a seven or eight-year agreement with a $7 million AAV. That had the Stars withdraw their offer and eventually lead him to a “show me” deal with the Ducks.
The Leafs would love to take Klingberg out of Anaheim, even if it is as a rental. The move would help the club on both ends of the ice.
Ryan O’Reilly (C)
Surprisingly, the St. Louis Blues have struggled mightily this season. If this continues, by the time the trade deadlines comes around, expect the franchise to have a fire sale. One of the Blues biggest assets is also their captain, Ryan O’Reilly.
O’Reilly should be on the trading block because he is in the final year of the massive seven-year $52.5 million deal given to him by the former Buffalo Sabres GM, Tim Murray. The Blues will likely try to recoup some assets after giving up a giant package to land the Clinton, Ontario native in 2018. That trade included breakout star Tage Thompson going the other way.
O’Reilly got off to a very slow start to the season. In the first 11 games, he managed only to register two goals. Then he started to catch fire, going on a four game point streak before once again going cold.
The result is that in 19 games, O’Reilly has a total of five goals and three assists. He isn’t a very fast player but he does force the play and put opponents on the defensive. It took some time for O’Reilly to find his chemistry with new line mates after he and David Perron were split when Perron signed with the Detroit Red Wings. It’s something Dubas needs to consider if he’s eyeing adding the 31-year-old center.
Some believe O’Reilly brings exactly what the Leafs need. He is a proven performer in the postseason who has helped his team capture hockey’s biggest prize. O’Reilly even won the Conn-Smythe Trophy in 2019 as the playoffs MVP. His veteran presence and leadership, combined with his on-ice play, should help elevate the Buds when the games matter most.
Vladimir Tarasenko (RW)
In 2015, Doug Armstrong and the Blues wanted to ensure that Vladimir Tarasenko remained with the franchise for the maximum allowed time, eight years.
To do so, they inked the Yaroslavl, Russia native to a $60 million contract, carrying an annual cap hit of $7,500,000. Now, in the final year of the agreement, it may be time for Tarasenko and the Blues to part ways.
Tarasenko brings significant firepower wherever he ends up. Last season, in 75 games, he finished with 82 points on 34 goals and 48 assists. It was the sixth time in his career that he eclipsed the 30-goal mark. In 2016, he even scored 40. This season, the right-winger has started his campaign with 13 points in 17 games. Four of those points have come on goals.
Finding a sniper on Tarasenko’s level is extremely difficult.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be the only team interested in bringing him into the fold. In order to get a deal done, Dubas is going to need to put together a significant package that will likely include a first-round draft pick and high end prospect.
It’s also important to remember that the Leafs will be competing against every other franchise looking to capture the Stanley Cup. If Dubas wants to make a splash and add the three-time all-star, he’s going to have to pay a premium price and ensure that the team has enough space to fit his salary under the cap.
A Pair from Chicago
The recent history of the Blackhawks has been a successful one. A great deal of that success can be attributed to two players in particular. They are the team captain, Jonathan Toews and alternate captain Patrick Kane. Together, they got to hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug three times.
The reason both are listed together as trade targets is because of a similarity in each of their current deals. While both men each have a cap hit this year of $10.5 million, negotiations for either of them could be a non-starter since they also have no-move clauses in their respective contracts. For two players who have spent their entire careers in Chicago, there is a good chance that they could make themselves unavailable.
Jonathan Toews (C)
Toews is off to a hot start this season. Through his first 19 contests, he has flustered goalies to the tune of eight goals and five assists. The center is not just producing but also putting up great possession metrics. This season, while playing even strength, he has posted a Corsi percentage of 45.0. What makes it impressive is that it is 5.1 greater than his team.
Now 34, Toews has done a lot of winning. Not only is he a multi-time Cup winner, but he’s also won a slew of medals on the international stage. He has two Olympic golds, a silver and a gold from the World Championships, a World Cup gold, two World Junior Championship golds, and even a World U-17 gold.
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Toews would make a great leader on the ice and the dressing room for the Leafs. From the perspective of position, the Leafs don’t need another center. However, if they can find a way to add Toews, Keefe would certainly find a way to shuffle the lines. The Toronto Maple Leafs would unquestionably be better with Toews in blue and white.
Patrick Kane (RW)
Kane’s name has been floating about since the summer in connection to just about every expected NHL contender. That’s because his skill level is off the charts. The 2007 first-overall draft pick may even be the greatest American player to ever lace a pair of skates.
Kane’s trophy case is full. Along with his Cup wins, he’s captured the Hart Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. With all that individual success, hoisting another Stanley Cup may be Kane’s primary focus at this point in his career. For that to happen, he’ll need to be surrounded by the right cast of players. That just might be the Maple Leafs.
Kane is a crafty player who finds ways to get himself on the score sheet. He’s twice had seasons with point totals greater than 100 and he’s scored more than 40 goals on a campaign twice in his career. Last season, Kane managed to put up 26 goals and 66 helpers for a sum of 92 points in 78 games. If the 34-year-old is in fact available and willing to move, he could very well be the missing piece the Toronto Maple Leafs need.
Bo Horvat (C)
The Vancouver Canucks have not been very good. In fact, they’ve been lousy. The only reason that the club hasn’t completely fallen off the tracks is because of their captain, Bo Horvat, and his electric play.
Horvat is tied as the leading goal scorer in the NHL along with Connor McDavid and Jason Robertson. In 20 games, Horvat has managed 16 goals and 6 assists. This level of play is turning heads and quickly making the 27-year-old from London, Ontario the most valuable player to hit free agency this summer.
Beside’s Horvat’s outstanding play, there is another big reason why other teams, including the Maple Leafs, will be looking to make a deal to acquire the hot hand. That’s because he is playing on a team friendly $5.5 million AAV. That makes fitting Horvat onto a team roster much easier.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, a center isn’t their primary need. However, if Horvat is able to continue on the pace he’s on, he’ll easily be the the biggest boost the franchise could get going into the post season. If Dubas has any chance at all to land Horvat then he would be foolish not to take a shot.
For the Leafs, there’s also the added benefit that Horvat has experience playing with Toronto’s best playmaker, Mitch Marner. The pair played together for the London Knights in 2013-14. It was Marner’s rookie season in the OHL and Horvat’s final year before going straight to the NHL (with a five-game stopover in Utica). Together, they even played in the Memorial Cup, thanks to London hosting the tournament that year. Prior to Marner’s arrival, Horvat was part of the Knights group who won back-to-back league championships. Perhaps they may find success together again.
The biggest difficulty will be managing to outbid the rest of the NHL for Horvat’s services. The Canucks will look to cash in big, which means it’ll be a big risk to acquire the extra production. Fans may never know, but it would be interesting to learn what Dubas is willing to offer to get their man.
Next. The Leafs Top 10 Prospects, Honorable Mentions and Full System Overview. dark
The NHL trade deadline is just over three months away, which means a lot can and likely will change in that time. Regardless, expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to take a big swing for a top tier talent to take this franchise to the next level.