2 Trades that Would Fix the Toronto Maple Leafs

The NHL trade deadline is just over a month away and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a couple of holes to fill in their line up, if they wish to be serious Stanley Cup contenders. They have been wildly inconsistent this season due to below-average defensive play.

According to many insiders such as Elliotte Freidman, the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in trading for Calgary Flames defenseman, Chris Tanev.

Brad Treliving has a history with Tanev being the former GM of the Calgary Flames but with Tanev on an expiring contract and in his mid 30s, I don't believe it would be smart to acquire him, even if you were to extend him on a one or multi-year deal.

They already have a slow enough blue line with the likes of TJ Brodie, Simon Benoit and Mark Giordano, there is no need to add to that with an immobile Chris Tanev.

One defenseman that Treliving should be interested in is Tanev's teammate, Noah Hanifin. Hanifin is also on an expiring deal and is expected to get a large pay raise come July 1st.

It was reported back in November that Hanifin and the Flames were closing in on an eight-year extension at 7.5M AAV, but he wanted to see the direction of the Flames before signing the contract. He could be the #2 defenseman the Maple Leafs have been looking for, for years.