Insider Points to the Real Reason the Maple Leafs Haven't Made a Trade
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have still not made a deal for David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok or Nick Robertson however NHL Insider Chris Johnston has a good idea why.
A central theme this past offseason for the Toronto Maple Leafs is that of whether or not a trade is going to happen for three of their players who are seemingly on the outside looking in: David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, and Nick Robertson.
While they were impressive in their first preseason game, one game doesn't immediately earn them a spot, and with some intense competition internally, plus a slew of new faces; it's going to be even tougher to find their way onto the roster.
If they wanna get a deal done, they should probably do so sooner than later, however right now there seems to be nothing too concrete in the way of a deal.
What Chris Johnston Revealed About Toronto's Trade Situation
According to NHL Insider Chris Johnston, it's bound to stay that way for a bit.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Leaf Report, Johnston revealed that Toronto's reluctance to trade the trio isn't for a lack of trying; but in fact the last of interested buyers:
I get the sense the Leafs front office has looking at trading away some of the forward depth and haven't really been able to find anything that makes sense, which is why you still have all of Kampf, Robertson and Jarnkrok with the team
It makes sense why teams would want to pass on Kampf, as his contract and one-dimensional skillset leaves a lot to be desired, however for both Jarnkrok and Robertson it's a bit more perplexing.
Why Forward Depth Has Complicated Maple Leafs Trade Talks
Jarnkrok, while 33 and recovering from sports hernia surgery last year, is still a solid and flexible top-nine option who can play both the wing and center, give you scoring, defense and hockey IQ; all at a bargain price.
Teams might not want to take risks with his injury history but for the cost it's a low-risk if anything.
Robertson is definitely the most talked about and interesting name on this list. It's the same old with the forward, as he has a chance to have another good preseason and maybe it's the year he figures it out.
But it's the amount of new bodies brought in both at the NHL and AHL level that has them a bit scared. Their once solid spots have been taken by the Dakota Joshuas and Nicolas Roys; guys who fit better in the overall system.
Plus the young stars like Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan are all looking to make a name for themselves and earn their spot, and the longer they stay in the lineup, the better their prospects are of making it (no pun intended).
So while the team is certainly as deep as it can be, it's causing Craig Berube a headache as to where he can put everyone each night.
Which is why getting a trade done for at least one of these players is so important, but their time is slowly running out.
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