Desperate Team Could Hand Maple Leafs Their Next Top-9 Center

The Colorado Avalanche have just $1.2M in available cap space for next season, according to Puckpedia, and will need to move out a contract in order to sign players in free agency, something that could play into the Leafs hands in taking on one of their key players who could be shipped out.

Coyle, who will be in the final year of a contract making $5.25M annually, is a likely candidate to be on the move if the Avalanche wish to shed some salary for the offseason.

Elliotte Friedman recently linked Coyle in trade rumors, but cautioned that the Avalanche are not actively looking to deal the 32-year-old, seeing him as someone the team is looking to keep in their lineup.

However, if the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in a 3C, they could take a strong look at Coyle and get a quality forward knowing Colorado's cap situation.

The Toronto Maple Leafs can acquire Charlie Coyle, but will have to deal with the fact that Colorado isn't too keen to sell.

Although the Avalanche aren't looking to make a deal involving Coyle, they are in a cap crunch and the Toronto Maple Leafs are a team that could make an offer knowing the Avs, despite wanting to keep Coyle, need to shed salary somewhere.

Coyle, 33, had 17 goals, 18 assists, & 35 points in 83 games played this season for the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche.

The Leafs will likely look into Coyle, as he's linked to teams needing a bottom-six forward, but it'd a matter of affording him and whether they can easily squeeze him from Colorado.

Charlie Coyle is a player that the Colorado Avalanche have expressed their desire to keep, and a deal for him would take a bit more than some teams would like.

The Leafs lack much in terms of available futures as the team is without a first round pick until 2028, although a first for Coyle is already a steep ask.

The Avalanche lack top prospects, like Toronto having sacrificed their farm to be a contending team, having traded top prospect Calum Ritchie to the New York Islanders in a deal to acquire Brock Nelson.

The Leafs do have a few key prospects in Easton Cowan, who the Leafs did not want to give up at the deadline for some higher rated centers, making a deal unlikely.

Other options for Colorado from Toronto could include defensemen William Villeneuve and Ben Danford as potential headliners, or a pick in return. The Leafs have the 64th pick in this year's draft, but are looking to keep that pick although having their options open.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to add offense to their bottom-six and could use Colorado's need to shed salary to get it in Charlie Coyle, even if the Avalanche wish to keep him something they may need to ultimately offload.