The Toronto Maple Leafs will be among the teams looking to add depth down the middle this offseason. Even with the first-overall pick, the Leafs will need more help up front to actually become a playoff contender next season.
One trade target is New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck. The thought of the Leafs targeting Trocheck is nothing new. But a mock trade in The Athletic is a relatively novel idea. Unfortunately, the idea won’t fly on the Leafs and Rangers side of the equation.
Here’s what the Maple Leafs would be giving up for Trocheck:
- Easton Cowan, F
- 2027 second-round pick
That’s it. Two pieces. For the Rangers, as good as Cowan is, the return would be underwhelming. New York has been adamant about the fact that they are not rebuilding. As such, they would be expecting to land more pieces than just Easton Cowan.
As Jonas Siegel noted regarding the mock trade, the Rangers would want Matthew Knies and not Cowan. Since Knies would be a no-go for the Leafs, the trade could easily fall apart there.
From the Rangers' perspective, landing Knies would be the ideal target. The Blueshirts would really move the needle with Knies. Even if the team lost a center, they would gain a 30-goal power forward that could be a star for the next decade.
That’s why offering Cowan, as good as he could be, just won’t cut it. From the Leafs’ perspective, giving up Cowan is “dicey,” as Siegel noted. While he may not become a power forward like Knies has become, losing Cowan could potentially fly in Toronto’s face down the line.
Rangers might want more pieces from Maple Leafs to make this deal work
As Rangers insider Vincent Mercogliano noted in the piece, New York might want more than just Cowan. Mercogliano mentioned Matias Maccelli and/or Nick Robertson as potential pieces to complete the deal.
Giving up both Maccelli and Robertson for Trocheck is a deal John Chayka would take any day of the week. If the deal became Maccelli, Robertson, and that second-round pick for Trocheck, you better believe Chayka will be pushing the button.
Whether that’s something that Rangers GM Chris Drury goes for, that’s another story. But you have to think that the Maple Leafs can easily replace Robertson and Maccelli, while adding Trocheck is something that would make total sense for the Maple Leafs.
The Rangers will undoubtedly be holding out for a much better return from someone. Considering that the teams best positioned to pay the Rangers would be rebuilding ones, Trocheck may end up balking at the idea of going to a rebuilding squad.
So, if the Leafs are patient, they could end up getting a chance at Trocheck. The trade market could be in a holding pattern until the Dylan Larkin situation plays out. That’s why patience will be Chayka’s best weapon moving forward this offseason.
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