Leafs GM Brad Treliving can't pay these trade prices right now, and the Dobson deal proves it
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
If Toronto really wants to shake things up, then a trade is going to have to be made but they needs to be careful not to keep overpaying considering the fact Noah Dobson's deal set a strong precedent.
Look, it's not a secret. The Toronto Maple Leafs need to do something drastic if they want to salvage this season, especially if they keep up the current path they are on.
But the team can't do what they have done in the past and trades like the Brandon Carlo deal are coming back to bite them as players like Fraser Minten have thrived, meanwhile Toronto's had some lacklustre offerings.
Toronto has to make smarter trades like the Noah Dobson deal
Plus, it seems like the team has drastically overpaid for help and taking one look at a rival trade deal shows exactly that.
Montreal acquired Noah Dobson -- a potential star offensive defenseman who has already hit the 70-point mark in his career -- for two 2025 first-round picks and prospect Emil Heineman.
While certainly an expensive deal, Montreal saved their picks just for such an occasion and giving away the 16th and 17th pick in 2025 plus Heineman (a 43rd overall pick) was necessary to land a player like Dobson.
Toronto needs to be smart and stop trading their future to win now
Meanwhile, Toronto traded Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick for Scott Laughton and some salary retention. Laughton is at best a bottom-six player whose shelf life is not nearly as high as the 25-year old Dobson.
Then they decided to trade arguably their second-best prospect in Fraser Minten and a first-rounder in 2026 to the Boston Bruins for Carlo. Right now, Boston is near the top of the division and Toronto is slipping fast.
Now, the Maple Leafs have a bare cupboard when it comes to premium assets and they don't have anymore standout players or picks to give away.
They want to trade away Easton Cowan and their 2028 first-rounder for what? A non-guaranteed player in their 30's?
It's way too risky and Toronto has to be smarter when it comes to making trades. Brad Treliving is known for making big ones, but often finds himself on the losing end.
With Toronto's current trajectory, one of those trades are going to have to be made though the Maple Leafs can't afford to have Treliving strike out yet again on a potentially franchise-altering deal.
| POLL | ||
17 HOURS AGO | 566 ANSWERS Leafs GM Brad Treliving can't pay these trade prices right now, and the Dobson deal proves it Should Toronto still make a big trade or hold onboard on trading their last assets? | ||
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