Spending Big on Adam Henrique or Adam Larsson
The names are interchangable. It could be Henrique, it could be Laughton or any number of low-impact overrated name-brand players whose names get bandied about during trade season.
At best, these players offer marginal upgrades on what the Leafs already have. And while marginal upgrades to matter, the Leafs need a major upgrade.
Their blue-line needs the addition of a star player, as do their forwards.
There is no doubt that Adam Larsson is an upgrade to what the Leafs have - he's better than anyone on their blue-line for sure except McCabe and Rielly, and he isn't much worse than those guys, if he's worse at all.
Adam Larrson would be an excellent upgrade overall, but mostly becauze the Leafs blue-line is so bad. He would also fail to address their biggest need, which is a defenseman who can move the puck.
But most of all, he isn't a star. He is a very good player, but his impact isn't going to be huge. There is a difference between Simon Benoit and Adam Larsson, but not a huge one. If Adam Larsson was one of two blue-line upgrades, I'd be pretty excited to have him. He's clearly better than what the Leafs have. My point here is that they need a star player, and an offensive one more than they need another defense-first defenseman.
The Leafs need a real upgrade. A star-level upgrade. Barring a name that isn't really being talked about - like Vince Dunn maybe, or Zach Werenski - the only player like this available is Noah Hanifin and I think it will be a huge disapointment if he isn't in the Leafs lineup on Saturday night - Larsson just isn't that kind of upgrade.
And all the same arguments apply to Henrique. He's good. He's better than Domi, but he doesn't make the Toronto Maple Leafs significanlty better.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need a significant, star-level upgarde. They also need to avoid Colton Parayko and to improve their team enough by Friday that Ryan Reaves is no longer an option for the playoffs.