Brad Treliving Could Complete Full Circle on Kyle Dubas's Most Costly Maple Leafs Trades
Photo credit: Hockey Patrol
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving could do something special if he's able to bring back other players who were shipped out of town thanks to former GM Kyle Dubas.
There's been a lot of talk about who the Maple Leafs may bring in for a top-six forward, and have been linked to several prominent names, but none more so than former forward Nazem Kadri.
Rumors have swirled about surrounding the veteran pivot and while there's been some smoke, and Kadri's openness to a move helps fuel things even more, but as of yet nothing is concrete.
Brad Treliving can fix Kyle Dubas' mistakes of the past
We also know that Toronto isn't the only interested party, but with his latest move to acquire Dakota Joshua, Brad Treliving could bring Kadri back and undo the mistakes of Kyle Dubas.
How so?
Well, firstly, he traded Joshua away to the St. Louis Blues before he even signed with the team, then unceremoniously shipped Kadri out of town.
It was a bitter end to an otherwise great relationship, though it seems the former forward has let bygones be bygones.
This also happened in the same year, so it's poetic that they reunite and actually get a chance to play together now.
Kadri was traded for Alex Kerfoot, and Tyson Barrie, who was supposed to add not only grit and two-way play, but Barrie was expected to be the offensive force he used to be in Colorado but failed miserably.
Joshua was trade simply for future considerations, and considering he made a solid career of himself so far, Dubas made a pretty egregious error, especially with where the team is at now.
If Kadri comes home, is that enough to win?
So if Treliving were to bring Kadri back, it would be full circle where he changes the DNA of the Maple Leafs (one that has Dubas' fingerprints all over it) and bring in the old faces he sent out to bring them success.
He'll give Toronto a no-nonsense, tough, proven winner in Kadri who has the passion and love for an entire city, not just the team.
Joshua is going to be a quick fan favorite, and it would be a great way to stick it to Dubas, proving that he was too eager to give up on players.
Is it enough though? Yes, the team added Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, Joshua and if they bring Kadri aboard that's certainly a deeper and much improved team.
Betting on a 34-year old Kadri, two bottom-six pieces and a young player with potential but still unproven is a lot to ask, especially with a full financial commitment and there's still the matter of whether Auston Matthews et al will show up when it matters.
But he offers the team not only as good a chance as any available player on the market, but one of the best stories in hockey.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 18 | 1899 ANSWERS Brad Treliving Could Complete Full Circle on Kyle Dubas's Most Costly Maple Leafs Trades Do you think Kyle Dubas was a good or bad GM for the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| Good | 332 | 17.5 % |
| Bad | 1567 | 82.5 % |
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