Maple Leafs have new trade target as Darren Dreger reveals defenseman is in play

Darren Dreger added a new name to the Maple Leafs rumour mill as Nashville Predators defender Nic Hague is reportedly being shopped around.

It's pretty apparent that the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a defenseman, not only due to injury concerns with several of their players, but they need a bit more help steadying things in the defensive zone - preferably someone with shutdown ability.

The team is open to making deals but only want to give up premium assets for a game-changer, and they have been linked to the likes of Simon Edvinsson, Erik Karlsson, and Zach Werenski though nothing remotely concrete has appeared.

Insider adds 6-foot-6 behemoth to Maple Leafs trade targets

But TSN's Darren Dreger added yet another name to the list of potential targets for the Maple Leafs, and he comes from the Music City and could seriously reshape the blue line:

I've heard Nic Hague's name is out there.

Hague, 27, is a gigantic presence on the ice at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds and someone who can offer the type of shot-blocking, physicality, and shutdown ability that the team needs.

His huge frame and length allows him to disrupt opponents easily, and he's someone who is able to move the puck with a decent bit of skill, having recorded 99 points in 437 games - not too shabby for a stay-at-home defender.

Part of a mediocre Predators team over the past two seasons, he's posted 16 points in 73 games, along with 69 blocks and 91 hits. However, when he was with Vegas he had a four-season stretch where he had 55 points, 398 blocks and 409 hits in 274 games.

Toronto needs to add a bit more bite to the back end

You know what you're getting when it comes to Hague, and if the Maple Leafs wanted to add a much more physical presence in their own end then Hague makes sense.

He would give Toronto a bully who can push opponents around and be a brick wall between the opposition and the goaltenders.

Right now, the Maple Leafs need someone who can intimidate and shove opponents around at will, and be imposing at every turn. The team has some scrappy guys, but no one who really strikes fear into the enemy.

Hague would give them that for fairly cheap ($5.5M) and he's locked up with the perfect amount of term to fit into Toronto's win-now window. It likely won't cost a premium asset to bring Hague aboard either - another plus.

Whether John Chayka feels like it's a big enough deal to pull the trigger on is another question, but if he wants to bring in an x-factor the team is missing - Hague fits the bill.

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