The Toronto Maple Leafs are buyers at the trade deadline.
There is no debate. Is Mitch Marner in his prime? Is Auston Matthews? Is William Nylander? Is Morgan Rielly? End of debate. The Toronto Maple Leafs are buyers.
Brad Treliving has a lot to make up for because it would be complimentary to call his summer acquisitions terrible.
And, not only does Treliving face enormous pressure to improve this team on the fly, he's got limited cap space and few tradable assets.
Though it will be difficult, it's worth adding to this team. They have a core group of players (You'd have to say Morgan Rielly is now better and more important to the Leafs success than John Tavares, for the record) who can win any game where their goalie gets hot.
With a better goalie, a better blue-line, and some production from the left-wing (not to mention some oomph on the roster) this team could go a long way. Even if they do nothing, they could get lucky, but why count on that?
The Leafs have no choice but to go for it.
Here is how they do it.