A Plan B for the Toronto Maple Leafs in trading for a number-one defenseman
The Toronto Maple Leafs don't have many options, but an interesting name is emerging
The Toronto Maple Leafs are obviously a good team, and with a little help they could be a great team.
There is no doubt that the Toronto Maple Leafs entered this season with designs on winning the Stanley Cup, however after about 20% of the season, it is clear that they are not in the same class as a few other teams.
The Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes all look better than the Leafs do, and there is also Vegas, Edmonton and New Jersey to worry about.
If the Leafs want to separate themselves from the pack they have to add two things which I have written about frequently: a number-one defenseman and a third line centre.
A Plan B for the Toronto Maple Leafs in trading for a number-one defenseman
In an ideal world, the Leafs would trade for someone like Simon Nemec from New Jersey and he'd step in behind Morgan Rielly and slowly develop into the top pairing guy the Leafs have needed, and he'd stay there for about a decade.
The timeline for that likely isn't feasable, so the Leafs need a more estahlished guy who could take on the role today and push everyone on their roster down a notch. The ideal candidates would be either Zach Werenski or Moritz Seider, though the Leafs likely don't have the assets to swing such a trade.
Also, there is the matter of those guys likely not even being available.
Enter the Pittsburgh Penuins. They are not doing well and they may be interested in blowing it up, and even with Sidney Crosby re-signed, they might just have to face reality.
That could mean that Erik Karlsson is abvailable.
Karlsson is 34 but still elite. He has 10 points in 19 games despite having only 4 power-play points and starting more in the defensive zone than the offensive zone for the first time in his career.
Even thought the Penguins being awful, Karlsson has a 54% Expected Goals rating and the team would be winning his minutes if not for atrocious goaltending. (stats naturalstattrick.com).
Karlsson makes $10 million for three more years, but if the Penguins retained half of that, he would fit on the roster if the Leafs sent Domi and Timmins back the other way. The Leafs of course would have to add something to convince the Penguins to retain that money, or involve another team, but it could probably be easily done.
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The Leafs could acquire Erik Karlsson a lot cheaper than they could acquire any other legitamate number-one defenseman. The top four of Rielly/Karlsson. McCabe/Tanev would be among the best in the league and instantly vault the Leafs into Cup Contender Status.