Former 30-Goal Scorer Emerges as a Potential Trade Target for The Toronto Maple Leafs Amid Recent Struggles

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dealt with injury struggles consistently this season, including captain Auston Matthews, who missed time due to an upper-body injury.

Other forwards who have been absent from Toronto's lineup so far in just 21 games include Matthew Knies, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, Pontus Holmberg, Bobby McMann, & David Kampf, all of whom have missed extended periods of time. Luckily for the Leafs, Domi and Pacioretty appear close to a return.

There is an option they can pursue to fill a forward spot with these continued injuries, and it involves calling up their old GM.

In an article for ' The Athletic', Penguins writer Josh Yohe said that two players appear to be on their way out for Pittsburgh.

One was defenseman Marcus Pettersson, the other, and the likelier option for the Leafs to pursue, forward Rickard Rakell.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas has dealt with a difficult start to the season with his Pittsburgh Penguins, the team currently sits last in the Metropolitan Division with 24 points and a 10-12-4 record in 26 games this year.

Toronto has been forced to rely on their youth system, calling up top prospects Fraser Minten & Nikita Grebenkin from the AHL Toronto Marlies, something the team was looking to avoid so early in the season.

Also called up to the team was Alex Nylander, younger brother of Leafs star William, who had to be signed to an NHL contract having been an AHL rostered player prior to his signing.

Rakell could step in as a forward capable of playing both wing and center, more of a winger but his versatility is something the Leafs have liked in a forward in recent years.

The 31-year-old has 10 goals and 15 points in 26 games for Pittsburgh this year as well, Rakell was a back-to-back 30 goal scorer in 2016-17 & 2017-18.

According to PuckPedia, Rakell is making $5M until 2028, something that gives Rakell either a lot of value or a potential retention candidate depending on how he's valued.

As he's still a capable scorer, he may command a decent amount.

Toronto does not have a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, traded to Chicago pending the pick is outside the top 10, as it currently is.

That leaves a top prospect, something hard to give up for a 31-year-old who isn't a Top 25 player in the league.

Rakell would be a splash for the Leafs to get some goal-scoring amidst a difficult start to the year for Toronto, but one that long-term may be a risk they could avoid if they're not ready to commit to Rakell for more than this season.

In closing, Toronto should be looking to add Rakell to the squad in order to add both offense and defense, give themselves a bit more depth and versatility, and add a cheap option for the next few years.