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Toronto Maple Leafs: Who Will be the First Player Traded this Season?

By Michael Jacobs

TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 8: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs extends his team point scoring streak to 21 games with a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 8, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 8: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs extends his team point scoring streak to 21 games with a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 8, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 10: T.J. Brodie #78 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 10: T.J. Brodie #78 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

T.J Brodie

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie sure looks like he is getting long in the tooth.

As per his performance in the second-round of the playoffs against the Eastern Conference Champion Florida Panthers, Brodie has skated passed his better years of hockey.

Then again, he is coming off a fairly great season and his overall playoff numbers were not bad.

Brodie also counts for $5M towards the Leafs’ cap hit. He’s a 33-year-old who appears steady at times, but does not perform the one function the Leafs sorely need: he is not an intimidating presence.

He rarely takes the body and could be looking at a major age related decline any time, if it hasn’t already started to happen.

Brodie has been worth his cap-hit in all three seasons he’s played with the Leafs so far, but if they aren’t confident that he can continue to perform at a high level, then his cap hit is too much and he needs to be moved.

Brodie might get a decent return from either a rebuilding team, for his veteran presence, or a contender, who might believe they can turn his game around. Treliving let Brodie walk into free agency, where he signed with the Leafs four years ago, so it is not a stretch to think he may part ways with him, again.

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