The Leafs are hunting two impossible pieces, and what happens next will define their season
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for two upgrades -- a puck-moving defenceman and a top-six playmaker and how Brad Treliving approaches those needs will shape what is still possible this season.
Brad Treliving needs to figure something out when it comes to an improvement for the Maple Leafs considering that the team has not only underperformed, but are playing a lot of players who don't necessarily fit.
Head coach Craig Berube has made constant lineup and tactical adjustments, but the roster gaps remain obvious, and with every loss and blown lead comes more backlash and pressure to actually do something impactful.
It's no secret that Toronto could use two specific pieces that could elevate them and actually pull the season back before it gets too out of reach.
What this search for a puck-moving defenseman really reveals about Toronto's blue line
First, we'll start with probably the most important piece that the team is lacking right now and that's an elite puck-moving defenseman. Besides Troy Stecher, the team is relying on a regressing Morgan Rielly.
If it weren't for Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- this team would have a lot less hope. The rest of the blue line is built around stay-at-home defenders who don't drive transition play.
Not to say they are bad, not at all. But facts are facts, you're not going to ask Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, or Brandon Carlo to take the puck up ice and expect to do anything with it, that's not their forte.
Besides Rielly, Stecher, and OEL -- the rest of the team's blueline has 13 assists which combined with their speed and transitional offense, is really not pushing the needle for the Maple Leafs.
It's why Toronto needs to use whatever options available to them. Knowing they have a barren cupboard of assets, they could look internally to guys like William Villeneuve or Henry Thrun.
But beyond that, the team has to end up striking a deal somewhere. Exploring external targets like Dougie Hamilton, Erik Karlsson, or Justin Faulk would require major cap maneuvering or salary retention, but Toronto may still need to consider those options.
Sure, it's not someone super young however they need an impactful defenseman now who can turn the season around to even give them a chance.
Why adding a real top-six playmaker may force the Leafs into an uncomfortable trade
Adding a top-six player isn't necessarily an emergency right now, and when Toronto gets names like Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies back that will help immensely, and there's still guys like Nick Robertson, John Tavares and William Nylander.
But if they wanted to add some more reliability to their top six just in case, then they'll need to accept the fact it's either overpaying for a player or standing by while others add.
Toronto does not have a lot to work with, and Max Domi and Bobby McMann aren't returning a top-six contributor on their own, meaning any real upgrade requires prospects or premium picks.
While we have heard reports that Easton Cowan is not for sale, Ben Danford has been named as a possibility, and with Toronto seemingly forgoing their future for a chance to win now, you can add their 2028 first-rounder.
If the team feels like they can't mortgage their future anymore, then they best hope that Danford turns out to be a star down the line, and that first-rounder can be used next year in case something else pops up.
Though if they decide that it's worth it, then whoever they get whether it be a top-six playmaker or a puck-moving defenseman best be worth it because any move they make now must justify the long-term cost, because their asset pool is already thin.
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4 HOURS AGO | 267 ANSWERS The Leafs are hunting two impossible pieces, and what happens next will define their season What piece does Toronto need more? | ||
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