Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumour Decider: Good or Bad?

VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 27: Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during the first period of their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on December 27, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 27: Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during the first period of their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on December 27, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Ryan O’Reilly #90 of the St. Louis Blues (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumour Analysis

The following pages will go through potential acquisitions the Leafs might make at the upcoming trade deadline and attempt to analyze whether these would be good or bad movies.

Ryan O’Reilly

There’s a lot of miles on this 31 year old body, but his $7 million cap-hit would likely be half-retained, and he’s a UFA after the season ends, so there are worse ideas out there.

He’s injured, so he wouldn’t cost that much, and he’s got Cup Wins and Experience coming out of his skates.

But also, the Leafs have been down this road.

An aging, former star, with all the qualities venerated by hockey-guys the world over.

Ever heard of Nick Foligno? I guarantee you Kyle Dubas has, and it’s also why I’ll guarantee you this is never happening.

A bad idea, unless the Blues eat half his cap and take a second rounder or less.

The Leafs have all the depth and the experience they are ever going to need. None of that has been what’s missing (nothing has been missing; that’s the frustrating part.

Verdict: As the major trade the team makes to add for the playofs, NO.

However, if they add an elite forward like Meier, and they also add O’Reilly on the cheap, I think that would be pretty cool.