The Toronto Maple Leafs no doubt will be making moves at the NHL trade deadline as the fateful date fast approaches. The actual deadline is set for 3 pm this Friday March 7, leaving not much time for them as well as other teams to act.
The Toronto Maple Leafs might not need any additional help with goaltending, as the incumbents Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll have done a fine job as the elite tandem in net this season. However, they will need some upgrades at both the forwards and defensemen positions to help round out their offensive lines and defensive pairings going forward.
In doing so, there will be some current Maple Leafs players that could be pushed out of a starting role as a result of the influx of talent and potential fallout of the deadline moves eventually made.
As a result, we will take a look at four Leafs players that will be unfortunate roster casualties following the trade deadline.
4 Toronto Maple Leafs that will be roster casualties following the trade deadline
D Philippe Myers
Signed this past offseason as supposedly added depth for the Leafs blueline, Philippe Myers has found himself called to duty more than expected so far this season. He has nonetheless performed solidly whenever he has been called upon to fill in for any injured defenseman.
Having averaged over 16 minutes a game, Myers has recorded 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 25 games played to date. More importantly, he has registered 32 blocked shots and 60 hits along with 10 takeaways and 25 giveaways. In addition, he has maintained a CF% of 52%, along with a 51% scoring chances rate in 5-on-5 situations, helping tilt the ice in the Leafs favor whenever he was playing.
But despite his towering physical presence and dependability through all this time, Myers is usually one of the first defenseman to lose his spot in the lineup the moment a Maple Leafs player returned from the injured reserve.
Currently Chris Tanev could be out for a while, so Myers could get a longer run in his current role. However, with the high possibility of the Leafs adding another defenseman by this Friday before the trade deadline expires, look for Myers to be on the outside looking in once again by the time next week rolls around.