Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Targets in the Atlantic Division
The Toronto Maple Leafs should try to upgrade their roster before the NHL trade deadline.
They have some weaknesses that need fixing, but does Toronto Leafs general manager Brad Treliving have enough assets to make the necessary upgrades? Or rather, is he comfortable trading the assets that he does have?
As the NHL gets closer to the trade deadline, the Leafs will get linked to every player under the sun.
Treliving's main focus should be on upgrading the Leafs defense more than anything else. That is the area where the Leafs need the most help. However, I wouldn't rule out the Leafs adding a depth forward or even a goaltender. It all depends on how confident Treliving is with this Leafs team.
The Leafs top assets for trades at this year's deadline are Matthew Knies, Timothy Liljegren, Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and their 2024 first-round pick. Maybe also Joseph Woll if they went all in on a star goalie.
I don't see Treliving trading Knies or Liljegren, but they are players other teams inquire about. As much as I would hate to see the Leafs trade away Cowan or Minten, it will depend on which player the Leafs acquire. Hopefully, it would be a player that can make a big impact, rather than a role player.
This article will be the first of a four-part series looking at possible trade targets from each division. I will focus on teams that are not holding a playoff spot, as they are typically the sellers. Let's take a look at possible trade targets from within the Atlantic Division.
Atlantic Division Trade Targets
There are three Atlantic Division teams currently not sitting in a playoff position. They are the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres. Here is a look at players from those three teams that the Leafs could target in a trade.
Ottawa Senators
Jakob Chychrun
Jakob Chychrun is a 6'2" left-shooting defenseman weighing in at 220 Lbs who can play on the left or right side. This season, he has eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 47 games. He is averaging 22:41 minutes of ice time and has a Corsi for of 50.9%. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)
Chychrun is 25 years old and has a year left on his contract after this season. His salary cap hit is $4.6 million, so the Leafs will need to trade away some salary to make this trade work. He would be an upgrade to the Leafs top defense pairing. (Salary cap info from capfriendly.com)
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko is a 32-year-old right-winger who is 6'1" and 228 Lbs. He has 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in 45 games. He is averaging 15:50 minutes of ice time this season, and his Corsi for rating is 49.3%. He has registered 44 goals and 20 assists for 64 points in 97 playoff games with a Stanley Cup win in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.
Tarasenko would be an expensive rental as it will cost good assets to get him, plus he has a salary cap hit of $5 million. If the Leafs require the Senators to retain a percentage of his salary, the asking price will be even higher.
Montreal Canadiens
Note: I was going to include Sean Monahan to this list, but he has been traded to the Winnipeg Jets.
David Savard
David Savard is a 33-year-old right-shooting defenseman who is 6'1" and 235 Lbs. He has four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 27 games while averaging 20:36 minutes of ice time. His physical style (27 hits and 85 blocked shots) would be appealing to Leafs GM Brad Treliving.
Savard has one more season left on his deal after this year with a salary cap hit of $3.5 million. If the Leafs can clear enough space for Savard, I think he would benefit our blueline.
Jake Evans
Jake Evans is a 27-year-old right-shooting forward who can play center or right-wing. He is 6'0" and 186 Lbs but plays bigger than he is (46 hits and 38 blocked shots).
He averages 15:45 minutes of ice time. Evans has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 49 games.
Evans has a salary cap hit of $1.7 million, which would be easier for Treliving to add. He doesn't become a UFA until after next season, so the Toronto native might benefit from joining his hometown team.
Buffalo Sabres
Jordan Greenway
Jordan Greenway is a large (6'6", 231 Lbs) 27-year-old left-winger. He has six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 37 games. He is averaging 16:30 minutes of ice time and has registered 57 hits and 37 blocked shots. I think he personifies a typical Treliving type of player. He could be an x-factor for the Leafs in the playoffs. His size and grit could be just what the Leafs need.
Greenway has one more year on his deal after this season. His salary cap hit is $3 million, which I think the Leafs can handle depending on who they trade away or send down to the AHL.
Victor Olofsson
Viktor Olofsson is a 28-year-old right-winger. He has four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 33 games. He is averaging 11:55 minutes of ice time in what can be described as a down year for him. In his two previous seasons, he finished with 40 points or higher. Maybe changing teams might help.
Olofsson would be an expensive rental for the Leafs. He has a salary cap hit of $4.75 million. The Leafs could ask the Sabres to retain some salary, but that will increase the asking price.
manual
However, if the Leafs are willing to add a player for this amount, I would rather see them try to add Chychrun from Ottawa.