Brad Treliving Could Have Found His Next Trade Partner Out West
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Seattle Kraken are hoarding quite a bit of draft capital, so if Brad Treliving wants to recoup some; he's got the perfect partner.
However way you want to look at it, be it mismanagement or a true effort at trying to win it all, the Toronto Maple Leafs have parted with several high profile draft picks in order to secure NHL-ready stars to help push for a Stanley Cup.
It hasn't been as successful as they had hoped, and we are still talking about some regrets the team may have regarding two of their most recent trades, but for a team who is always in the thick of it; it's hard to keep those picks.
Why Seattle Might Be the Perfect Fit for a Maple Leafs Trade
But buyer's remorse is real, and Brad Treliving might be wanting to get at least a few of those picks back somehow, and he may just be in luck.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, speaking on his 32 Thoughts podcast, if the Maple Leafs or any team want to recoup some picks, they should look out west to the Seattle Kraken:
I guarantee you there are teams out there looking at all the draft picks the Kraken have and they're saying this is a team that has what we want; Seattle's gonna have some opportunities to do some things.
For context, Seattle owns eight draft picks in 2026, nine in 2027, and seven in 2028 including a total of five first-rounders. That's an unbelievable amount of draft capital and they hold a lot of leverage when it comes to making deals.
If Toronto were to recoup something, and perhaps it's not necessarily a first-round pick, but if they were to get a second or third; they can either use it or package it elsewhere but they just need the assets.
This could be where the Nick Robertson experiment ends, as Kraken coach Lane Lambert knows all about the forward from his time in Toronto, and knowing that he could use a player like him amongst his youngsters; he could convince Seattle to bring him in.
They could also perhaps look to part with a couple of their mid-tier prospects for some more picks to rebuild their AHL depth, and knowing how active the team is with NCAA free agents; they may be able to afford it.
Toronto only has three picks in 2026, and they really need to figure out the direction they want to go, but that direction needs at least a bit more clarity, which is something an extra couple draft picks can provide.
Brad Treliving has a great chance to bring back some assets he gave away previously, but he may need to sweeten things a little bit to keep away the competition.
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