Maple Leafs - 4 trades the Leafs should consider
The Maple Leafs are one of if not the hottest team in the league right now. Having won 14 of their last 16 games they've accumulated 28 of a possible 32 points in that span. All of this after a rocky 2-4-1 start that sent some of the fan base into a frenzy demanding trades, terminations and everything in between.
Just because the team is performing doesn't mean they should stop looking at ways to improve or to build long-term. Below we have provided 4 trades the Maple Leafs should consider to try and improve their team in hopes of a long playoff run.
Adrian Kempe
The Kings are an extremely deep team with an extremely deep pool of prospects, so if the Kings fall out of a playoff push it could be time to call about Adrian Kempe. The Leafs could use some more talent on the left side and because of that Kempe is a true fit.
Kempe is a restricted free agent next season and could give the Leafs a player who can fit on both their 1st or 3rd line. Kempe is definitely not going to come cheap due to his RFA status and that cost might be prohibitive to the Leafs, but if Kempe is an option it's something the Leafs should pursue.
Trade
Adrian Kempe for Pierre Engvall, 2022 1st Round Pick and Conditional 4th Round Pick (Should the Leafs extend Kempe they transfer the pick)
Marc-Andre Fleury
When Marc-Andre Fleury accepted a trade to Chicago he didn't have it in his mind that the Blackhawks would be a bottom feeding team, but alas that's what has happened. Fleury is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, which fits perfectly into the structure for the Leafs.
The Maple Leafs also have the issue of the impending Campbell contract extension, which means clearing up the cap space for the extension. That's why this trade checks off all the boxes for the Maple Leafs.
If the Maple Leafs can find a way to move Petr Mrazek and prospects/picks for Marc-Andre Fleury or a similar goaltender this would be a move in the right direction.
Trade
Marc-Andre Fleury (50% Retained) for Petr Mrazek, Joseph Duszak and 2nd Round Pick
With players like Tavares, Muzzin & Brodie on the wrong side of 30, and the contracts of Matthews, Marner & Nylander just ticking by, this team is in need of winning the cup sooner or they might not have a later.
Year after year we see the Leafs defence not hold up in the playoffs and while the Leafs may be able to outscore there problems in the regular season, they CANNOT in the playoffs and having no ability to keep pucks out of your own net hurts them every year.
Along with the 2 trades above, we suggest a trade with the team who just beat them in a 7 game series last year the Montreal Canadiens, who after making run to the cup finals, have really stunk to say the least. Who we suggest trading for is Ben Chiarot. Chiarot is not a flashy player, he will not score you 15 goals or 40 points, but he is a very reliable defensive defenceman capable of taking the body and providing some elements that have lacked in the Leafs organization for years.
The benefit of adding this player as well is he is at a team friendly expiring contract of merely $3.5M, which would mean this trade is merely a rental. But this is not a deadline deal as we've seen in the past, players sometimes need more than 10-15 games to adjust to a new teams system.
Going back to the Montreal Canadiens who are about to enter a rebuild would be defencemen Justin Holl, who at age 29 has been an okay Leaf, but Chiarot is definitely an upgrade, as well at the Toronto Maple Leafs 2nd & 5th round picks.
Trade
Ben Chiarot for Justin Holl, 2023 2nd round pick & 2022 5th round pick.
Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Kempe-Kampf-Kase
Ritchie-Spezza-Simmonds
Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Chiarot
Sandin-Liljegren
Campbell
Fleury
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