Brad Treliving Must Target Specific Types Of Players For The Maple Leafs Third Line

While Toronto is focused on getting a third line center, the team instead should focus on completely revamping their bottom half and completely change how the line operates.

The team currently has Nicholas Robertson, Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg manning the third line, and while McMann has been a bright spot -- the rest of the line leaves a lot to be desired.

Typically, a third line in hockey is a checking line used to shut down opponents while adding an offensive punch.

But Toronto's third line is anything but. They don't have players who will lay everything on the line, throw tons of hits, get into those corners and dig for pucks, and show some actualintimidation.

The team needs to target players like Scott Laughton, Brandon Tanev, Trent Frederic, or Mathieu Olivier -- players who can play defense, throw hits, blocks shots and most important add goals.

All four of those players have at least 100 hits, all would be better scoring options than Holmberg or Robertson, and they actually play defense (though Holmberg is capable, he's not shown he can be the impactful player Toronto needs.)

Laughton has 11 goals, Tanev has 8, Olivier has 10, and Frederic has 8. All of those would either tie them or rank them above Nick Robertson -- who currently ranks 7th on the team with 8 goals.

They are all cheap options as well, with Laughton coming in at $3M, Tanev at $3.5M, Frederic at $2.3M, and Olivier makes only $1.1M.

Toronto needs go for broke and try to change things up drastically. Here's a potential lineup with the new additions:

It's a LOT to ask Brad Treliving to acquire two players at the deadline, but we can dream. It certainly makes Toronto's team much deeper and balanced throughout, and even the fourth lines have offensive potential.

Both iterations have their benefits and negatives. The first lineup adds a lot more defense with Tanev and Laughton, and would give Toronto a true shutdown third line with Marner in tow.

The second adds a lot more size (Olivier is 6'1, 226; Frederic is 6'3, 220) and what it sacrifices on defense they add in a ton of hitting and energy with some scoring pop as well.

Toronto has lost a bit of their identity recently, and Craig Berube's game plan is built upon toughness, grit, physicality and an old-school mentality.

All of these players bring that to the table. It just depends on what price Brad Treliving is willing to pay for them.