Toronto Maple Leafs Under the Radar Trade Targets

Many expect Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas to acquire a star player before the NHL trade deadline on March 3rd. As great as that would be, what if he does what he usually does and trades for a lesser-known player who brings overall depth to the team?

Star players like Jakob Chychrun, Timo Meier, and Patrick Kane have the Toronto Maple Leafs linked to them in rumors.

One of these players could find themselves being traded to Toronto, but it’s not a guarantee. The price of acquiring either of these players is high. GM Kyle Dubas would have to forfeit draft picks and prospects. Since Toronto is in win-now mode, now might be the perfect time to mortgage the team’s future to find immediate success.

Depending on who you listen to, the Leafs are looking to upgrade either their top-six forward group, top-four defense, or both. Upgrading one area might be manageable, but upgrading both won’t be easy. However, if everyone in the media is wrong and Dubas doesn’t acquire a star player, he could make upgrades to more than one position.

There could be plenty of under-the-radar type players who could give Toronto what they’re looking to add. By moving one or two players from their active roster down to the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs could have between $2.8 million – $4.4 million in cap space at the deadline.

Toronto GM Kyle Dubas could also trade players like Alex Kerfoot ($3.5 million), Justin Holl ($2 million), or Pierre Engvall ($2.25 million), who are all pending unrestricted free agents (UFA). Dubas has more cap space available to him than the media would like you to believe.
(Salary cap info from capfriendly.com)

Under The Radar Players for Toronto Maple Leafs to Acquire

Even if Dubas can find a way to acquire a star player at the trade deadline, he could still have enough cap space to add some under-the-radar depth players. Here’s a look at a few such players.

Nick Seeler – LD/RD

Nick Seeler is a 29-year-old defenseman currently playing with the Philadelphia Flyers. He is 6’2, 200 Lbs, and plays a decent physical game with 88 hits and 95 blocked shots in 52 games. His contract ends at the end of next season and carries a cap hit of $775,000. Seeler averages 14 minutes a game but has played beyond 16 minutes a few times this season.
(Stats from hockey-reference.com)

Sam Lafferty – C/LW

Sam Lafferty is a 27-year-old forward who could bolster Toronto’s bottom six. He has eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 46 games while averaging 14-15 minutes a game. Lafferty is 6’1, 195 Lbs, and uses his body effectively (81 hits). He could be an LW option for Toronto if Kerfoot gets traded. At $1.15 million until the end of next season, Lafferty could be a good depth player for cheap.

Nick Bjugstad – C

Nick Bjugstad is a big (6’6, 210 Lbs) physical centerman who can bring the pain (111 hits) come playoff time. He averages close to 17 minutes a game for the Arizona Coyotes and has 23 points in 54 games. The 30-year-old is a pending UFA this summer with a cap hit of $900,000.

These are all players who may not be on the radar, but which could help the Leafs.