Player to buy: Connor Dewar
Even if Brandon Duhaime went elsewhere, the Maple Leafs would still be in luck if they were interested in bringing in a cost-effective consolation. Connor Dewar, another member of the Minnesota Wild’s lower lines, is another name to be aware of, and he would come at an even cheaper price than Duhaime.
Dewar isn’t as physical as Duhaime, but he’s still finishing at least one and often two checks per game while simultaneously doing all he can to wreak havoc when his team is playing defense. Also, like Duhaime, Dewar can offer a slew of minutes on the penalty kill, and his overall on-ice save percentage at even strength and 5-on-5 practically mirrors his teammate’s.
Regardless of whether the Maple Leafs decide to make one more trade at the deadline, it is something we will find out by Friday. And just because we listed a pair of more cost-effective pieces here, it doesn’t mean the team won’t get ambitious and seek to acquire more expensive, prominent names.
Either Brandon Duhaime or Connor Dewar (or both, if Toronto can make the deal happen) would take away some of those would-be shots on net with their aggressive play, and it would result in the Maple Leafs allowing fewer goals on average. We will see if Brad Treliving continues to try and address the problem in the next few days.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and Elite Prospects as of March 4th)