The Toronto Maple Leafs are believed to be searching for another center (as per The Fourth Period). General manager Brad Treliving has been hoping to upgrade the second-line center position for some time now and is looking at potential options to do so. With the holiday trade freeze set to start on Friday, it doesn’t appear likely that a deal will be made in 2024, but Toronto is searching the market for a potential fit. Any move that they make will require a lot of creativity as Toronto doesn’t have a first-round pick this year, although they do hold their second and third-rounders.
Toronto may just have to wait until closer to the NHL trade deadline to make a deal happen as they will have just under $2.3MM available to them at that time (as per PuckPedia). The Maple Leafs could potentially look at a player like Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders, who is in the final year of his deal and is making $6MM. Toronto would need New York to retain on a deal and take a salary back, but those are the types of transactions Treliving could target.
In other evening notes:
- Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson left today’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with an upper-body injury and did not return (Twitter Link). The 37-year-old took a stick to the face from Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the first period and did not return at the start of the second period. Kotkaniemi was assessed a four-minute double minor on the play. Johnson has dressed in 17 games this season, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per game and tallying one assist.
- Aaron Portzline of The Athletic spoke with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba about his recent trade and why he declined to facilitate a trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Trouba was dealt by the New York Rangers to Anaheim, but had other suitors, including Columbus. Trouba told Portzline that there were no issues with Columbus, but he felt Anaheim would be a better fit for him and his wife, as well as her career as a doctor.
I really don’t understand Toronto’s search for a centre… they have Matthews, Tavares, Domi, Kampf, Dewar, Holmberg, Lorentz who can all play centre. They should be focusing on improving their left wings. Pacioretty, Robertson and McMann are not a great top 3 LWs.
Well obviously, Tavares, Domi, Kampf, Dewar, Holmberg, Lorentz, could all play LW if replaced with a better C!
exactly JZ. a 2nd line centre means Domi moves to the third line which is a better fit. it also allows for JT to move to the wing.
also Stu you are forgetting Knies. so if Patches becomes your LW3 after a trade that looks a lot better and gives them a scoring punch on that line.
the Leafs issue has been lack of scoring depth in the playoffs. this team needs 3 lines that can put the puck in.
I want them to give that 3rd line from last night (domi, Robertson , Mcmann) at least 5-10 games together before they go and do some knee jerk trade. And gotta say Kampf, Dewar, Holmberg and Lorentz all have 1 thing in common and that’s their all 4th liners
they aren’t going to make a trade for at least 3-4 games so no worries BD. i think the reality though is to get a 2nd line centre Robertson or McMann are an outgoing piece. that third line does bring a speed element however that they haven’t had in the past
Bobby isn’t going anywhere guys on a sweetheart deal and still has another year at 1.3 after his year
exactly why teams may want him.
The Maple Leafs haven’t been relevant in years, And they have NO chance of winning the cup this season. Next!
the Leafs are always relevant. they are the highest valued team in the league. now the winning the cup part… likely true