The Toronto Maple Leafs clearly have one of the best cores in the NHL, which means the playoffs are all but guaranteed and that they are one of five or six teams with the best shot at this year's Stanley Cup.
However, if the Toronto Maple Leafs want actually win it, they can't have their GM sitting out the Trade Deadline like he did last year. In all probability, he won't, because this year, he has an absolute ton of of options.
Sure, the Leafs are about one dollar below the maximum allowed on the Salary Cap, but they've got some flexibility to act.
Mainly, they have quite a few expendable but expensive pieces and this means flexibility to improve the roster.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the money to add a big star and its their only play
The Leafs need a number-one defenseman to pair with Chris Tanev, push Rielly to the second pairing and OEL to the third. There isn't a person interested in the team that doesn't know this. The Leafs also need a 3C but they need the defender more, beause there is at least an option that they can fill out the third line centre role internally.
The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't using Calle Jarnkrok and they don't need to. They have David Kamp as the NHL's most expensive fourth liner, and they don't need him either.
Ryan Reaves is unplayable and therefore shouldn't play. Their combined salary is $5.85 million. (all info puckpedia.com).
That is a good start, but why stop there? I would rather they keep Liljegren, but if he's not going to play then his cap space needs to be reclaimed. That's an additional $3 million.
Suddenly, the Leafs have $8.85 million in cap-space, which is likely enough to add an elite blue-liner, should one become available. Add in Timmins and his $1.1 and the Leafs have almost $10 million to spend.
That is more than enough to fit in any player they could conceivably trade for. Of course, that's only half the problem: elite defenders are in short supply and it's hard to guess which one of them could suddenly become available.
The dream would be Noah Dobson, a pending RFA due for a huge raise on a team going nowhere that could potentially become available, but there could be other options as well. Only time will tell.
What know for sure: the Leafs have the need for a top defenseman and they can easily clear the money to fit him in.