What Does a Dream Trade Deadline Look Like for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

The Blue-Line

On defense the Toronto Maple Leafs sure need a lot of help on the old blue-line and getting second-rate geezers like Chris Tanev isn't going to cut it.

Like Ben Chiarot before him, Chis Tanev is going to cost a 1st round pick. Like Detroit, whoever pays that stupid price is going to regret it forever.

Statistically, Chris Tanev is the 4th best defensemen on the Calgary Flames. Why would anyone want the 4th best defenseman on the Calgary Flames? Traditional hockey group-think is the correct answer, but I digress.

While Tanev is the nightmare addition that will cement Treliving's reputation as the new Ferguson JR, the dream addition is Jacob Chychrun of the Ottawa Senators.

Chychrun is young, affordable and potentially available. He makes $4.2 million for this year and next. He will cost a ton, but it's worth it.

The Leafs desperately need a player on another pairing besides Morgan Rielly's who can move the puck. Having 2 elite puck movers is essential for a team as loaded on forward as the Leafs so this is a no-brainer.

Chychrun would give the Leafs a boost by being - at worst - their 2nd best defensemen, but he'd instantly fix the problem the team has of moving the puck to their star forwards when Morgan Rielly isn't on the ice.

I think it's one of their biggest non-goaltending weaknesses right now, and this would address it perfectly.