Third-Line Center Trade Options for Toronto Maple Leafs

Boone Jenner - Columbus Blue Jackets

One of the most realistic players that I could see the Maple Leafs acquiring and the one I've wanted the team to go after for a couple years now is Columbus Blue Jacket captain Boone Jenner.

Another former Oshawa General played alongside Laughton for four seasons. Jenner has two-years left on a reasonable $3.75M cap hit and scored 20+ goal in three consecutive seasons.

The downside is he likely could have scored 30 had he stayed healthy as he has missed 61 games over those three years.

Jean-Garbriel Pageau - New York Islanders

Like so many players in the past, Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a career year during his contract season in 2019-20 when he scored 26-goals that helped him earn a six-year contract worth $5 Million per season.

Pageau now has just two seasons left and the contract may be a little tough to swallow for a guy that has averaged 12-goals per season over the last two years.

If Treliving could get the Islanders to retain a good chunk of the salary, the nearly 200 hits he threw last year and his top end face-off skills could be a welcomed addition.

Jake Evans - Montreal Canadiens

Jake Evans may be the best and easiest option to acquire for the Maple Leafs as the 28-year old is entering the final year of his three year contract that carries a cap hit of $1.7M.

The Montreal Canadiens forward played a career high 16:01 last season (ref: hockey-reference.com) and is an effective penalty killer playing more than three minutes a night shorthanded.

With unrestricted free agency looming and the Canadiens unlikely to compete for a playoff spot he could be the cheapest option.

Brock Nelson - New York Islanders

The player that carries one of the higher cap hits as potential centers is New York Islander Brock Nelson who has one-year left on a $6M per season contract.

Nelson is worth the money and has collected 107 goals over his last three season and averages more than 18-minutes a night. Like Jenner, Nelson could potentially help the team with having three scoring lines.

Claude Giroux - Ottawa Senators

Two summers ago, veteran Claude Giroux made a peculiar decision to sign with the rebuilding Ottawa Senators in hopes of helping them climb into a playoff hunt.

Unfortunately, now entering the final year of his contract the Senators have never been close and with things not looking like much has changed, Giroux may be looking at a last chance at going after a Stanley Cup.

Despite being 36 last season, the former first round pick averaged more than 20-minutes a night and collected 64-points. He has turned into a penalty kill specialist averaging two minutes a game.

Michael Rasmussen - Detroit Red Wings

This may be a bit of a long shot as Michael Rasmussen just signed a four-year extension last February and carries a modest $3.2M cap hit.

The former ninth overall pick has not exploded with the offensive upside that some thought he may have when he collected consecutive 30-goal seasons in the WHL, but he has fit into a bottom six forward role.

The 6'6" forward moved to the wing this past season for the majority of the season, but the 25-year old could easily move back to the middle. The last two seasons he has averaged more than 15-minutes a night and saw a 30% increase on the penalty kill.

Adam Lowry - Winnipeg Jets

A heart and soul player that wears the captaincy on his jersey, Adam Lowry would bring a lot to the Maple Leafs.

Lowry carries a ton of leadership and has been playing the third line center role for years in Winnipeg averaging 15:42 a night and 12 goals over the last four seasons.

Lowry is towering at 6'5" and uses his size as he has collected over 200 hits four different times over his career. Like many on this list, Lowry has modest cap hit as he has two years left at $3.25M per season.

MIkael Granlund - San Jose Sharks

Mikael Granlund was shipped from Pittsburgh to San Jose last summer as part of the Erik Karlsson trade.

Offensively, the former first round pick had one of his best seasons and had his most ice-time of his career playing just shy of 21-minutes a night, which included an increased role on the penalty kill.

Granlund now enters the final year of a four-year deal that pays him $5M per season. The Sharks are likely looking to move him during the season and he could be attainable.

Nazem Kadri - Calgary Flames

This is a complete pipe dream as it appears that the Calgary Flames refuse to deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs at all, but if they did the team could go after their former first round pick and two-time 32-goal scorer.

Although, as fun as this would be, Kadri is too old and too expensive, so even if Calgary would deal with the Leafs, it's unlikely to happen.

Plain and simple, Kyle Dubas had no choice to trade Kadri, because there isn't a player on any team in the entire world of professional sports that could get himself suspended in two consequetive game-sevens and stay his team.

It does suck the Leafs had to trade him, but the fault is 100% Kadri's.

After having a down season in his first year with the Flames, Kadri rebounded with 29-goals and 75 points last year. The deal would be really tough as Calgary would have to take a contract back and retain salary on the final five years of his deal as he carries a cap hit of $7M.

This would likely make him too expensive to acquire for what he could bring, given his age. Still, it's a fun idea.