Calgary just put Kevin Bahl on the table and the Maple Leafs cannot afford to let him slip past them

Kevin Bahl is 6-foot-6, 230 pounds of power, but he's got some offensive skills to complement him. Though he has yet to break out offensively, the New Westminster native has a blazing fast shot and an engine that never gives up. With the Calgary Flames listing their untouchables per Anthony Di Marco it feels like the Wild West when it comes to who might be dealt away. With only four players on their no-fly list - things could get very interesting:

No doubt the Flames are going to be trying to fix things in short order and are basically making everyone available for the right price. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team needing a revamp in their lineup and should look to Calgary for help; especially on the blueline.

Calgary holds a few interesting pieces but the one that John Chayka should target is towering defender Kevin Bahl. This season he had 18 points, a plus-2 and 47 PIM in 76 games but added 99 blocks and 114 hits in 21:57 TOI, but he's been even better previously.

Combined over the two seasons prior to 2025-26, Bahl had 31 points, a minus-5 and 117 PIM with 219 blocks and 260 hits. At first glance those aren't exactly eye-popping, but it's his underlying stats that bring so much intrigue.

Per NHL EDGE, Bahl was in the 70th percentile for speed bursts over 20 MPH which for a guy at his size is fairly impressive. He also averaged nearly 96 MPH on his shot which put him in the 80th percentile and immediately addresses a weakness in Toronto.

He also has some familiarity with Maple Leafs GM John Chayka as well considering he traded for Bahl back in 2017 (as a 2nd round pick in 2018), though then later packaged him as part of the Taylor Hall blockbuster deal in 2019.

Though not a puck-moving defender, he comes at a way lower cost than some other names available at only $5.35-million until 2031 and he would be a vast improvement over both Simon Benoit and Philippe Myers.

Pairing him with a proper puck moving defender like Oliver Ekman-Larsson or even a new face like Darren Raddysh would be a fantastic way to solidify the backend while not necessarily breaking the bank (though he does hold an eight-team no trade clause).

Toronto doesn't just need a bunch of guys who move the puck, but also players who know how to actually play active and aware. Bahl always has his head on a swivel and he offers way more offensive upside than any of Toronto's depth players, and could be their final anchor.

With Chris Tanev coming back healthy, Jake McCabe locked down, and a healthier Brandon Carlo - Toronto is only one more shutdown guy away from turning things around drastically.

Kevin Bahl would be the final piece of the puzzle for John Chayka's blueline...at least when it comes to toughening it up.

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