Toronto Maple Leafs: Wishful Thinking or Trade Rumour, Larkin a Great Idea

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to virtually every player in the NHL.

Be that as it may, the Toronto Maple Leafs interest should be limited to two players:

Timo Meier and Jakob Chychrun.

But failing that, there is one good alternative:

Dylan Larkin, of the Detroit Red Wings.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Dylan Larkin

Should the Leafs fail to land Timo Meier, Dylan Larkin would be a great fallback option.

The underrated Larkin has been hidden on a crappy Detroit team for years, but he’s an excellent player.  He scored 31 goals last year, is hovering around a point-per-game this year.

Larkin is 26 years-old.

He is a big 6’1 centre, who could give the Leafs three great lines, and then join the top six to make a super-line whenever needed.  This is really the only way he’d be preferable to Meier (who is a tank on skates), but it would give the Leafs lineup a ton of options.

Larkin makes $6.1 and is a UFA when his contract expires after this season.  He’s a rental, but a great one. Rentals should be sought after in a cap system. It’s crazy that teams act the opposite way, although smart managers may just be manipulating other team’s though the media.  Or at least trying to.

Larkin is one of the NHL’s fastest players, he’s got size, and he can score.  His addition would be massive, and it would instantly give the Toronto Maple Leafs into the NHL’s best roster.  By pushing Kampf onto the fourth line, but still having a 4C that you can play at any time, even against stars in order to create desirable matchups, Larkin would be a dream come true for Coach Sheldon Keefe.

Meier gives the Leafs a component they are missing, but Larkin compliments what they have, and will allow them to manipulate their lineup in so many different, interesting and advantageous ways.

You would have to figure that with the cost of Bo Horvat and Vlad Tarasenko being so low, that the Leafs wouldn’t have to pay all that much for Larkin.  Unlike Meier, who can at least be retained with a qualifying offer, Larkin can pick his team next year.

I would think Knies and a first is more than either Long Island or the Rangers paid, so with that in their pocket the Leafs should be able to get whichever player they want.