The Toronto Maple Leafs do not need depth forwards. They don't need any more grinders. Guys who supposedly play "playoff hockey" need not apply.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need one thing above and beyond all else: They need scoring. They need talent. They need the ability to drive a line.
In short, they must trade for a star player.
But not just any star player, because there is a special one, and he happens to be a centre, and he happens to be by far the best player potentially available. Also, he plays for Buffalo so once they trade him, he's sure to go on and win the Stanley Cup like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart before him.
Maple Leafs Trade Rumours: The Most Obvious and Best Prize of the Trade Deadline
For best results, a Trade Deadline Target must check all the following boxes:
He's is or could be a star. He is availble. He will help the team.
Dylan Cozen scored 31 goals two years ago and looked to be on his way to becoming a franchise player.
Since then, he's struggled. He is currently a depressed asset, playing on a bad team that won't make the playoffs. This is the best player to trade for - one who used to be great but currently isn't. You can't make a profit buying guys at their peak, so Cozens is an OBVIOUS choice here.
Will he help the team? Is Prince the king of the 80s? Come on, of course he will. Cozens is only 23 years old, and he's struggling badly, but clearly he just needs out of Buffalo. A change of scenery will do him wonders.
The best part? He's signed to a deal that looks bad based on his current play, so Buffalo might want out of it, but at the same time, it's a sweetheart deal for $7.1 million dollars that takes the player through his entire prime to 29.
The Leafs could clear the cap space by sending Domi and OEL to the Sabres. Those don't count as parts of the trade, it's just to make the cap work. On top of that, the Leafs are going to have to send Buffalo an un-protected first round pick down the line, say 2028, and the rights to Easton Cowan.
If that doesn't do it, send them Ben Danford too, who cares? Cozens is obviously the piece the Leafs need, and he would be a supersonic upgrade over Max Domi, and give them the piece they need to win the Stanley Cup. Depth scoring issues solved, and who knows, maybe getting Kokkonen or Niemela into the lineup will prove to be a huge bonus.