Insider reveals Maple Leafs last resort plan to land defenseman

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Marvin Azrak
March 6, 2024 (9:17 PM)

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Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to bolster the team's defense. He's been in talks about just about every defenseman on the trade market, and he's not just looking for a quick fix. Nope, Treliving wants someone with term, or at least someone he can lock down for a while.

Brad Treliving Backup Plan Revealed

Now, everyone knows the Leafs could use another right-handed defenseman, but according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, they've got a Plan B in mind. LeBrun spoke on TSN's 'First Up' this morning, hinting that if the Leafs do decide to spend that precious first-round pick, it might be on someone they can count on for more than just a few months. Enter Joel Edmundson.

I will tell you if the Leafs are going to spend that first round pick finally, it's way more realistic that it's on someone who's with them for more than a couple of months... So it could be more of a tweaking situation. He's not a right-handed shot, but I wonder if he is more of a last minute thing Friday, if Joel Edmundson is still sitting there... I think the Leafs have him somewhere on their list.

Now, Edmundson isn't a righty, but he's a big, physical presence on the blue line, standing tall at 6'5" and tipping the scales at 225 pounds. He's in the final year of a deal that carries a $3.5 million cap hit, and while he may not be a perfect fit, he'd certainly bring some grit and toughness to the Leafs' defense.

Plus, the Leafs are no strangers to Edmundson's game, having tangled with him during the playoffs in 2021 when he was with the Montreal Canadiens. So, if it comes down to a choice between Edmundson and, say, a veteran like Mark Giordano, the Leafs might just grab the big man from Brandon, Manitoba.