Alexander Nikishin and Simon Edvinsson are two young defenseman that could reshape the Maple Leafs who should be at the top of John Chayka's target list.
There are still moves to be made for the Maple Leafs if reports are to be believed and they seem to centre around adding some help on the blue line. The team wants to get more mobile and younger, while also ensuring they have the competitiveness to help push Toronto into the playoffs.
Alexander Nikishin and Simon Edvinsson are two names that the team needs to target, not because they offer the same thing, but either one (or both) could make the Maple Leafs undeniable.
Nikishin solves Toronto's lack of a real two-way threat
Focusing on the mobile side of things, this is where Nikishin comes in. Right now, he's in a stalemate with the Hurricanes as he still needs a new deal and is nowhere near one. He just won a Cup in 2026, and put up 33 points in 81 games including 11 goals - and he's only 25 years old.
He's also not your typical smaller-bodied mobile blueliner as he's 6-foot-3, 220 pounds and offers above-average shot blocking and a lot of physicality as he had 94 blocks and 132 hits. He would be the perfect addition alongside Darren Raddysh up top, moving Morgan Rielly down so he has less responsibility.
He's also young enough to be a player who can help win now and over the next five years, and as Toronto's defense gets older, they are going to need younger players to step in. Not just prospects, but NHL-ready stars.
Plus, it would take away a key part of the Hurricanes' defense, and lower their chances of repeating as Cup champions though he isn't going to come cheap. Toronto will likely need to trade their 1st round pick in 2028 along with a prospect like Ben Danford if they want to get it done, then extend Nikishin long-term - another costly venture.
Edvinsson would instantly provide a top-4 shutdown defender
Switching gears, Edvinsson is currently in Sweden keeping fresh while the Red Wings work out a potential deal. But if Toronto were to swoop in, they'd be getting an incredible piece. At 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, he's a massive presence but doesn't hamper the team's speed.
He's had 292 blocks and 180 hits over the past two seasons while also adding 16 goals and 56 points. Edvinsson is even younger at 23, and there's a deep Swedish connection already in Toronto - and he would fit right in. He would allow the Maple Leafs to split up their McCabe/Tanev pairing and make things a bit more balanced.
Going the other way though, much like Carolina, the Red Wings would want future helps they continue their rebuild, and Toronto would likely add someone like Oliver Ekman-Larsson toped up space and give Detroit some short-term NHL help.
Edvinsson would give Jim Hiller a reliable and young shutdown defender with some offensive chops, and Nikishin would add a new dynamic to the Maple Leafs that can make them even more dangerous.
But the only question is: Will John Chayka pull the trigger again?
Who player should Toronto target?
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