Toronto Maple Leafs Seem Extremely Likely to Trade for Noah Hanifin

The Toronto Maple Leafs are extremely likely to trade for Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin.

During the Toronto Maple Leafs / Anaheim Might Ducks game on Saturday night, Elliote Friedmen reported that Hanifin was likely to be trade and that he won't re-sign in Calgary.

The Leafs GM has long been rumoured to have interest in taking players from his old team, and a rumour about the Leafs getting both Tavev and Hanifin has been hovering on the line between a possibilty and wishful thinking for a while now.

With those two additions, Reilly, McCabe, Liljegren and Benoit, the Leafs blue-line would be a lot better than it looked at any time since Jake Muzzin retired.

Toronto Maple Leafs Seem Extremely Likely to Trade for Noah Hanifin

Patching the blue-line didn't seem possible at all earlier, but McCabe really improved since he came back from injury, while Liljegren and Benoit have both taken major steps in their development.

Hanifn is one of three additions the Leafs need to make if they want to win the Stanley Cup this year (or, realistically, at least give themselves a good chance to do it). If he is available, and he seems to be, the Leafs are known to be interested and have the biggest need on the blue-line of any contender.

There's no guarantee it happens, but it seems like a big possibility.

Here are the other two addiitons the Leafs need to make for the playoffs.