Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 2023 Trade Deadline Targets

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Between now and the NHL’s March 3rd trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to upgrade their roster for the playoffs. It is hard to determine who they will add since the team gets linked to every available player.

Ideally, the Toronto Maple Leafs would like to upgrade their roster with a star player or two.

Whether they can upgrade both their offense and their defense with their limited cap space will be determined soon.

The Leafs are capable of winning it all this year, so upgrading their roster for the playoffs is a must. They need to improve at the top end, and of course, adding depth can’t hurt either, especially given their injury situation.

According to capfriendly.com, Toronto’s current deadline cap space is $2.725 million. Depending on which players they add or trade away, that number will change. I would not be surprised if Toronto even added a player already on LTIR to increase the amount of LTIR cap space for them to use. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done this.

Considering that Dubas has a lot riding on the Toronto Maple Leafs doing well in the playoffs, it will be interesting to see how much he does at the trade deadline. The list of potential targets is long, but with the first big target (Bo Horvat) already being dealt with, the trade ball has begun to roll.

TEMPE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 10: Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks during the NHL game at Mullett Arena on January 10, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sharks defeated the Coyotes 4-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Targets

Timo Meier LW/RW

Timo Meier is one of the best options for Toronto, period.

The cost will be high, and every team in the NHL with a shot at the Cup probably hopes they can land him. Whoever does will make a major upgrade to their Stanley Cup chances.

Where will Timo Meier end up? #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/zKQPQBpdAY
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 6, 2023

if they’re looking for scoring, he will help. If they are looking to get better at defending, he can help. If they are looking for an all-round player who can do a little bit of everything, he can help.

Meier is a tank and he’s huge. He has 48 points in 51 games this season, but he comes with a $6 million cap hit and is due a $10 million qualifying offer as an RFA this summer.

Even if it’s just as a rental, this is the player the Leafs should be targeting because no other player thought to be available (or plausible) will have a bigger impact. Sure, you’d like to spend assets on a player you can keep long-term, but Meier would give the Leafs about as much of an upgrade as its possible to get.

This is an elite player, one who would be in competition for being the second-best player on the Leafs after Auston Matthews.

Meier won’t be the easiest player to get but never say never.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 20: Jakob Chychrun #6 of the Arizona Coyotes . (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Jake McCabe LD/RD

Jake McCabe is signed until the end of the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $4 million. He is just one defenseman that has been linked to Toronto.

McCabe isn’t as good as Chychrun, but he’d be an excellent addition to the team. A very good top four defender with decent offense and excellent defensive / shut-down skills, McCabe is a great back-up plan if the Leafs don’t get the top player available.

The only problem with these kinds of players is, who comes out for them? He’s not so obviously elite that you’d add him no matter what.

You can’t trade Rielly, Brodie, or Gio, and he isn’t much of an upgrade over Sandin or Liljegren, which leaves only Holl. Holl is the Leafs biggest defender and one of their most used.

Chychrun instantly becomes the Leafs best defender, but fitting in McCabe would be much trickier.

Jakob Chychrun LD/RD

Jakob Chychrun is 24 years old and signed until the end of the 2024-25 season.

He would offer Toronto great depth to their defense and his cap hit is a reasonable $4.6 million. The cost of acquiring him will be steep, but it’s a gamble Dubas might be willing to make.

With the exception of Meier, it’s hard to imagine a more exciting player the Leafs could add.

Dec 1, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports /

Ivan Barbashev C/LW/RW

Ivan Barbashev seems like he would be a good depth option for the Leafs, as he is a pending UFA with a small cap hit of $2.25 million

Barbashev doesn’t fill the need for a top-six forward but is secondary scoring nonetheless. He is one of the better rental options available. It should be noted that his 26 goal performance last year was in a year when his shooting-percentage went up like crazy, and that his advanced stats are very bad.

Conor Garland RW/LW

Conor Garland is signed until the end of the 2025-26 season with a $4.95 million cap hit. Production-wise, he would be a long-term replacement for Alex Kerfoot in the event that Kerfoot (Pending UFA) gets traded. Garland might perform better in Toronto once he’s away from the mess in Vancouver.

The Leafs have repeatedly non-star players before giving them contracts like Garland’s. The Leafs let Hyman, Johnson, Kapanen, Miheyev and Andersen walk instead of paying them, it seems unlikely they want someone else’s version of the thing they have been shown to constantly avoid.

Vladislav Gavrikov LD

Vladislav Gavrikov is a 6’3, 213 Lbs defenseman linked to Toronto.

He would give the Maple Leafs some added size but he isn’t necessarily as physical as a player of his size usually is. His cap hit is $2.8 million, and he is a pending UFA, so the Leafs would clearly be interested if they don’t land either Chychrun or McCabe. Gavrikov makes a decent fall back option, but only really fits if the Leafs decide to use Sandin as trade bait.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JULY 08: . (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Max Domi C/LW

Max Domi is not a player I see the Toronto Maple Leafs getting, but he’s on this list because his name has been linked to Toronto forever.

With a $3 million cap hit, Domi would be an expensive rental playing on the third or fourth line. He is terrible at defense, and isn’t going to play ahead of Kerfoot, Jarnkrok, Kamp, or Engvall.

Patrick Kane RW

There is no way Toronto adds Patrick Kane unless his $10.5 million cap hit is 50% retained by Chicago. Even at $5.25 million, it will be hard for Dubas to add the 33-year-old Kane, while players like Timo Meier are similarly priced.

He hasn’t had a good 2022-23 season due to injury, and in fact has been disinterested and outright bad. Even for being on a horrible team, Kane is having a bad year.

Kane is only one season removed from 92 points in 78 games, so as long as he can stay healthy for Toronto, they’d be adding a bonafide scoring threat for the playoffs.

Given the cost, the Toronto Maple Leafs can do better.

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