The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade Their First-Round Pick For Top Defensemen

K'Andre Miller

Again, it's far-fetched, but Miller is another player whose contract expires at the end of the season. Miller finished the season with only 30 points, but he ranked in the top 21 percent of defensemen in defensive WAR, and the top 15 percent in penalty kill WAR.

It will be difficult for the Rangers to sign Miller again after this season, as they already pay Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba over eight million dollars a year each. After this season, they will also have to sign Igor Sheshterkin, and the Rangers will need money for Artemi Panarin the following year.  

This could be a great by-low spot for the Maple Leafs, as Miller had a down year for his standards, only having a 45 percent goal share at five-on-five.

Outside of last year, Miller has had a positive goal share in his other three seasons in the NHL. He is highly physical and an above-average passer on the back end, ranking in the top 21 percent of defensemen in primary shot assists last season.

Miller would be a massive addition to a weak Maple Leafs penalty kill and would add some much-needed physicality that can still move the puck, which the Leafs tried but failed to add at last year's trade deadline.

I have no clue if a first-round pick is too much or too little for this type of player, but Miller would be a great addition to the Leaf's defensive core and is worth the call to the Rangers to see if they would be willing to move him, and how much it would cost.

Regardless if the Toronto Maple Leafs trade this first-round pick, they need to improve defensively. Following another first-round exit, the front office said they would explore everything. I do not know if any of these guys would be available via trade, but it is worth making calls to these three teams about these three players if we were exploring everything.