3 teams the Toronto Maple Leafs can target ahead of the trade deadline
Nashville Predators
The Preds made a huge splash this offseason landing big-name free agents like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. Nashville also locked up goaltender Juuse Saros with a massive eight-year extension.
However, things haven’t gone too well for the Predators in their first six weeks of the season. Nashville is dead last in the Central Division, one point back of the Chicago Blackhawks. As such, the Predsators will need to decide if they want to keep the course or pivot at some point.
The Predators are in a highly complicated situation as blowing things up following major signings would certainly send the wrong message. But the club may have no other choice. A fire sale could involve selling off valuable pieces in exchange for positional needs.
Names floating around are Gustav Nyquist, Colton Sissons, and Michael McCarron. Also, defenceman Alexandre Carrier has also been subject of trade rumours.
For the Leafs, the names on chopping block for the Preds could represent depth pieces that would come in handy for a long playoff run, but there isn't really anything exciting on this roster short of a block-buster that would see them trade for a player with term on their contract, but even then, the players the Predators have are older, highly paid and with a long, long time left on their contracts.
Funny enough, with some salary retained, Ryan O'Reilly would be the most attractive player on the Predators roster, given the Leafs nearly pathetic centre ice depth.
If the Predators cannot climb out of the cellar by Christmas, GM Barry Trotz should expect his phone to ring quite a bit.