The Toronto Maple Leafs are staring down a challenging summer under new general manager John Chayka. They need to turn things around fairly quickly and make the right moves with the assets they have to show star captain Auston Matthews that he should stick around beyond the two remaining years of his contract.
One trade that could certainly do that and then some, is acquiring Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman and reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski.
Could the Maple Leafs land Zach Werenski?
In a recent article from The Athletic's Jonas Siegel, as he wrote about the possibility that the Leafs trade young stud winger Matthew Kines, he speculated that Toronto could use him to massively solve the problem of not having a No. 1 defenseman. Siegel first suggests someone like experienced veteran Roman Josi maybe leaving the Nashville Predators with new management coming in and could trade the blueliner who is heading into his twlight years.
And then, he lands on Werenski as someone who might end up being available (eventually) and would be a sizeable swing on one of the best defensemen in the NHL.
"Now it would arguably be unwise to deal Knies, 23, for Josi, who just turned 36. So what about a much bigger, better, age-appropriate swing if it were at all possible: Norris Trophy nominee Zach Werenski?" Siegel wrote.
"If the Columbus Blue Jackets were concerned at all about Werenski’s willingness to stick around beyond the two years remaining on his contract, would they consider a deal with Knies as the headliner? (Or what about using the No. 1 overall pick instead in a deal for Werenski? Would the Leafs consider that, even if Werenski indicated a long-term desire to play in Toronto?)"
Werenski is under contract for just two more seasons -- just like Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid -- and does have a no-movement clause. But, as Siegel is thinking, if the Blue Jackets continue to fail and finish at the bottom of their division once again, or start the season extremely poorly, could there be something done here?
Getting Knies, who is locked up for five more seasons, could be something solid as a headliner of a package for Werenski. Since Columbus needs players who just are under contract for a while and can stick around playing in Ohio for several years.
Might be too much of a dream scenario for the Leafs
But all in all, this might be just something that doesn't happen. Werenski is the kind of player a team holds on to until they are forced to make a move (like Matthews) and Columbus letting him go at some point in the next couple of months feels impossible.
Now, maybe in the final year of his contract and if Matthews re-signs in Toronto? Does parting ways with Knies and a couple first-round picks at this time next year make sense if Werenski wants out? Probably.
But, that is a dream scenario and something that we might just be killed for thinking about longer than a moment.
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