The Toronto Maple Leafs could be looking at a third stint with defenseman Luke Schenn, insider Chris Johnston believes.
In a recent piece in The Athletic, Johnston focused on five blue liners the Toronto Maple Leafs could target at this year’s trade deadline. In particular, Johnston identified Nashville Predators’ defenseman Luke Schenn as the best option available for Toronto.
The Leafs have already had Luke Schenn twice, and he didn't help them win then. Now, he's older, worse, and an incredibly bad fit on a team that is desperate for puck-movers.
The Leafs can do better than Schenn.
I don’t mind the team adding Schenn to their bottom pairing, but you know he'd end up with Rielly in the top-four and it's really hard to see how that would help the Leafs in any way, shape or form.
Of course, finding that upgrade won’t be easy and it won’t come cheap. But there are other options out there that could provide a higher upside than the 35-year-old Schenn.
Ultimately, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to explore better options out there to bolster their defense. Sure, Luke Schenn is a familiar face, but he's the player you get if you're out of ideas and have already more or less given up.
Toronto Maple Leafs could work out a deal with Boston Bruins instead
Johnston identified another interesting player the Leafs could target: the Boston Bruins Brandon Carlo.
Personally, Carlo sounds like a good option. He’s a big guy at 6’5” and 200 pounds. He’s 29 and looks like the type of player who could deliver the same type of game that Schenn has to offer but with a much higher upside, though, to be clear, the Leafs should be going after defenseman who can move the puck.
Carlo has been a cornerstone for Boston over the last few seasons. But with the B’s season circling the drain, Boston may be inclined to sell this year and recoup assets for a retool.
It’s a bit hard to imagine what the Bruins might want for Carlo if they are inclined to move him. Perhaps the Bruins may be willing to let Carlo go for a second-rounder or a combination of picks.
However, the biggest concern would be fitting Carlo’s $4.1 million cap hit. Doing so would require some cap voodoo, but it’s doable. If the Leafs take on Carlo’s full cap hit, there’s a chance the Bruins let Carlo go at a slightly lower price even if it’s to a division rival.
At the end of the day, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to think beyond this season. Sure, the club has to go all-in, but that doesn’t mean making yet another short-sighted trade.
With the 4 Nations break looming, we may need to hold our breath until after the tournament to see where the next shoe will drop.