Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas Needs to be Crafty

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is known for being crafty when making trades. What if he could pull off his craftiest move yet at this year’s NHL trade deadline?

The 2023 NHL trade deadline is just over a month away (March 3rd), and there is a new Toronto Maple Leafs trade rumor every day.

One player whose name gets mentioned a lot is San Jose Sharks forward, Timo Meier.

Dubas has mentioned a few times that he would love to upgrade the top of the Leafs lineup. Adding Meier would certainly do that. He has 28 goals and 20 assists for 48 points in 51 games this season. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)

With 12 power-play goals, Meier could help get Toronto’s power-play back on track. He would give the Toronto Maple Leafs another scoring threat, which could take some pressure off other Toronto players. Meier also has 107 hits this season, which is an added bonus come playoff time. Adding Meier to Toronto’s lineup would give them five possible 30-goal scorers this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Must Be Crafty

The biggest hurdle in acquiring Meier is his $6 million contract and the $10 million qualifying offer he is owed this off-season.

This is where Toronto GM Kyle Dubas can get crafty. Whatever the price for Meier, it’s going to be high.  Higher still if there is an extension or money retained on his current cap hit.

Toronto could pay the cost to get Meier (ikely a first round pick, Matthews Knies and more) and then additionally trade a prospect to San Jose or another team like Arizona to retain 50% of Meier’s cap. Doing so would bring him to Toronto for $3 million. (Salary cap info from capfriendly.com).

Getting a superstar like Timo Meier would be huge.  Getting him on at a decreased cap hit would be incredible.

Kyle Dubas adding Meier to the Toronto Maple Leafs would be a win for him and the team. The cost of adding Meier does not have to hurt Toronto long-term. Here comes the next part of Dubas needing to be crafty. Instead of giving Meier a qualifying offer, Toronto could flip him at the NHL draft and recoup some or all of the picks they used to get him.

There are plenty of teams with multiple draft picks and enough cap space that would love to add Meier for the 2023-24 season and beyond. I don’t think it would be hard for Dubas to find a team willing to give up a few draft picks or a first-round pick plus a prospect. Toronto would likely receive offers from multiple teams for a player like Meier.

I think adding Meier is a move that Dubas has to make if he is going all-in this season. His job is on the line as he does not have a contract next season.