Is a Max Domi-Barclay Goodrow trade the kind of move the Maple Leafs should consider next?

Given the team's struggles early on this season, one of their biggest concerns is being unable to contain opponents and preventing scoring chances.

It's led to them having the second-worst goals against number in the league (72) only behind St. Louis, and while there are issues on the backend as well, the bottom six has once again too often fallen short.

They have dealt with an injured Scott Laughton which doesn't help matters, but the team is still icing Max Domi night in and night out, and it's starting to hurt the team at both ends of the ice.

One possible solution lies in San Jose -- that being forward Barclay Goodrow.

To be clear, there has been no report of actual trade talks between Toronto and San Jose involving these two players - this is a hypothetical scenario based on fit and contract structure.

Right now, Toronto needs to stop the bleeding and give themselves a better chance to win and that starts with defensive responsibility. The bottom six hasn't produced enough, even though players like Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua clearly fit the new gritty identity.

Domi has been streaky and that inconsistency shows up both offensively and defensively. You never know what you're going to get from him, and his advanced analytics don't paint a pretty picture.

Domi carries a cap hit of $3.75 million for two more seasons after this one. That's a heavy cost for someone who doesn't fit in the coaching system, and who has not shown enough offensive production to warrant his price (86 points in 173 games).

So enter Goodrow, a player who not only trumps Domi in size, but in defensive acumen and at a little bit of a cheaper cost too.

He's a tenacious and physical player who loves to hit, has a strong reputation as a penalty killer and his defensive point share throughout his career is above average. You're losing offense potential by swapping out Goodrow for Domi but you can argue it's worth that trade-off for a team desperate to defend better.

Craig Berube plays a north-south game, and with that comes a lot of forechecking, tenacity, and having a relentless engine that Domi can't keep up with and already lacking a top defensive game -- it points a bigger spotlight on him when he slips up.

There's also versatility with Goodrow as he can fit in at center as well, which would also be an improvement over Domi defensively, and is comparable to him in the face-off circle.

Goodrow, 32, has a cap hit of roughly $3.64 million and is under contract through 2027.

A move like this isn't about «winning the trade» on paper - it's about aligning the roster with the way Craig Berube wants this team to play.

You're swapping out offensive potential and a fan favorite with a deep connection to the team for a chance to win games which is something the team needs to focus on if they want to keep fans happy in general.

Let's be honest, Max Domi has been a polarizing figure since coming to Toronto in 2023 and while fans love him, there's a lot to question too.

He had a very good start with 47 points in 80 games and added some much needed depth to the bottom six.

But since then he's only had 39 points in 93 games and has struggled badly defensively. Compare it to his early career where even though he gave the puck away a fair bit, he still managed to forecheck and get some takeaways too.

At times this season, he's looked more like a liability than a solution in Berube's system, but Goodrow helps that and it would give them a much grittier and tough bottom six.

You're adding Goodrow to a roster with Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, Scott Laughton, Steven Lorentz, Sammy Blais, and Calle Jarnkrok.

All of those players share very similar traits, are gritty and versatile with the ability to play center or wing, all have PK experience, block shots, throw hits, and agitate opponents.

Domi feels like an outlier in that group whereas Goodrow can slide in either on the third or fourth line, and might even be able to help alleviate some of Auston Matthews' PK usage.

But this is Domi we're talking about, and he very well has a hot streak in him. If Toronto trades him and gets burned by him, then it'll make a bottom-six a bit anemic in scoring look a bit worse.

They're not saving much money either, only about $100k which in the modern landscape of the NHL is peanuts. If Goodrow comes in for Domi and it's more of the same mistakes, when does the finger point to Craig Berube?

You're losing a fan favorite in Domi, who's got such a connection to the team through his dad, and a player who has shown glimpses of brilliance in the past.

If the Leafs ever made a move like Domi for Goodrow, it would only pay off if the rest of the group pulls in the same direction. Otherwise, you risk simply rearranging problems instead of solving them.