The Maple Leafs' exciting win on Tuesday night will hardly paper over the problems the team is facing. In particular, the lack of top-six forward talent is one thing killing the team. Beyond Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies, Toronto just doesn’t have enough firepower to keep up with up-and-coming teams like the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings.
Plus, better-than-expected seasons from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins have made the Atlantic Division a little more challenging than usual. While the Maple Leafs are still in the playoff mix, they’ll need more reinforcements to make a serious case for playoff contention.
But as Maple Leafs insider Darren Dreger noted, there’s one hitch in the trade market that could make it hard for Toronto to find what they’re looking for.
He stated:
“We know that Treliving would love to add another top six forward, maybe two top six forwards; the Leafs' cupboard is not as stocked; the type of playmaking player that Matthews needs...isn't available.”
Dreger’s comments, as heard on the December 16 edition of Early Trading, underscore the woeful lack of supply on the trade market this season. Just about every team in the league is turning over stones for top-six forwards. Yet, just about every team in the league is clinging to what they’ve got.
Unless the Maple Leafs can prey on a desperate team, the likelihood of finding what they need is slim to none.
Maple Leafs don’t have very much to offer in a trade
The sad reality of playoff contenders is that they end up depleting their draft capital and prospect pipeline in search of veteran help. Over the last decade, roughly, the Maple Leafs have done just that. Botched trades like the Nick Foligno deal or the Brandon Carlo trade sent first-round picks away for little in return.
Most recently, the Scott Laughton trade gave away another first-rounder, further compromising the Maple Leafs’ future.
So, as Dreger pointed out, the “cupboard is not stocked.” That means there’s very little the Maple Leafs can offer in terms of trade chips. Unless Brad Treliving systematically traded away pieces in exchange for as many draft picks or young players as possible, there’s little hope he can get much done with this current roster.
It could mean the solution lies in a controlled demolition of the Maple Leafs’ roster. Could that happen this season? Potentially. But it would depend on management capitulating on this season and reloading for the next.
Otherwise, the evident path forward is to see what Treliving can do and hope for the best with what the team has got.