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Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/19

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Even with the season starting tomorrow, teams still have some final cuts to make today. Rosters have to be cap compliant by the end of the day. though with so much talent on waivers there might still be some last-minute moves. We’ll keep track of those right here. Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Ilya Lyubushkin (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Remi Elie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Curtis Lazar (to Rochester, AHL)
F Scott Wilson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Nelson (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alan Quine (to Stockton, AHL)
F Zac Rinaldo (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dillon Dube (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew MacDonald (released from PTO)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Julien Gauthier (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Brian Gibbons (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Gustav Forsling (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Anton Forsberg (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Max McCormick (placed on injured/non-roster)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (placed on injured/non-roster)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kirby Dach (placed on injured/non-roster)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Marko Dano (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Andrew Peeke (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (placed on injured/non-roster)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

F Jayson Megna (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Connauton (to Colorado, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Colorado, AHL)
D Ian Cole (placed on injured/non-roster)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jared McIsaac (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Chase Pearson (placed on injured/non-roster)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Sam Gagner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F J.T. Brown (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Ryan Poehling (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Miikka Salomaki (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

D Matt Tennyson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Spokane, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

D John Marino (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Casey DeSmith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

F Nicolas Roy (to Chicago, AHL)
D Nicolas Hague (to Chicago, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
D Christian Djoos (to Hershey, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (placed on injured/non-roster)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

D Sami Niku (to Manitoba, AHL)

Poll: Is Tyson Barrie A Significant Upgrade Over Jake Gardiner?

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While most people look at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ acquisition of Tyson Barrie as a major plus when the team picked up the lead defenseman and Alex Kerfoot for Nazem Kadri and Calle Rosen on July 1, there are other analytics experts who suggest that the addition of Barrie isn’t much, if any improvements over Jake Gardiner, who the team has allowed to walk away in free agency.

Of course, Barrie looks like an impressive upgrade, especially when you look at his offensive numbers. Barrie scored 14 goals and 59 points last season and posted 57 points the previous year, giving Toronto another top-notch offensive defenseman next to Morgan Rielly. Gardiner was a second-pairing defenseman whose offense disappeared last year with 30 points, even though he posted 52 points the previous season. However, only one player, Barrie or Rielly, can get those first-line power play minutes and there is no guarantee that Barrie will be able to pry those minutes away from Rielly next season, suggesting that Barrie’s number’s could drop quite a bit. In fact, two goals and 23 assists came off the power play last season where Barrie was the team’s quarterback of the first power play unit.

However, analytics suggest that Gardiner, despite his struggles might prove to be a better blueliner, especially defensively. While Toronto is an offensive juggernaut, Gardiner still had a plus-19 rating in plus-minus, while there are some questions about how good a defender Barrie is. In Colorado, Barrie posted a minus-3 on an Avalanche squad that made the playoffs last season and a minus-19 the previous year, when they were a playoff team as well. While plus-minus might be considered to be an unreliable fact, Gardiner has been solid for Toronto despite the fact receiving Toronto fans wrath for years. He has averaged over 21:48 of ATOI over the past three years and in those three years ranks 23rd in the league in points with 125. In goals above replacement (GAR), which is an all-encompassing stat to evaluate skaters, Gardiner ranked 17th among defenseman last year and fifth in the league at even strength, according to evolving-hockey.com. Barrie ranked 50th last season and 66th at even strength.

However, Gardiner’s value seems to have dropped. Despite being considered one of the top defensive free agents on the unrestricted free agent market, Gardiner remains unsigned with rumors he’s seeking $7MM per season. While a change in scenery might have been needed for Gardiner, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Barrie will be the better player.

So, is Barrie a significant upgrade over Gardiner?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Morning Notes: Dzingel, Hall, Kadri

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Ryan Dzingel is arguably the top remaining unrestricted free agent, ranked No. 12 overall by PHR and the leading scorer this past season among all available names. Yet, there’s been surprisingly little noise surrounding Dzingel, a 27-year-old coming off of a career high’s across the board. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that some teams are skeptical about Dzingel’s potential for production, not based on his year overall but rather his late-season stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After being moved at the NHL Trade Deadline by the Ottawa Senators, Dzingel recorded just 12 points in 21 games with Columbus and eventually lost the trust of the coaching staff in the postseason, with one point in nine games earning him a healthy scratch. Brooks remarks that the Blue Jackets’ lack of interest in retaining Dzingel, a former star at nearby Ohio State University, is one of several “red flags” for the young winger this off-season.

It’s likely that price is playing a role in Dzingel’s market as well. After a 56-point campaign, Dzingel’s camp was though to be seeking a $5MM AAV over a long-term contract. In a vacuum, that would seem to be a fair offer, but in a market where many teams are closer to the salary cap limit than expected, a player who is coming off a disappointing final few months of the season may need to lower his expectations. That rings especially true if he wants to land with one of his reported top destinations and a team known to have interest, the Chicago Blackhawks. Dzingel is an Illinois native and his skill set would seem to fit in perfectly with his hometown Blackhawks, who could still use another top-six winger. However, The Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope writes that the team would have to move out a player, likely Artem Anisimov or Connor Murphy, to accommodate Dzingel’s salary demands. Until that happens, Pope cites GM Stan Bowman, who recently said his roster is “pretty full” and currently only in need of “housekeeping”. That doesn’t mean that Chicago, whose off-season moves have pointed toward a deep desire to return to contender status, will not continue to pursue Dzingel, but it may prove too difficult at his current asking price. If the scoring winger wants to ensure he has a long-term fit in a place that he’d like to be, Dzingel could consider taking a lesser deal to join the Blackhawks.

  • Another team looking to return to the playoffs are the New Jersey Devils and GM Ray Shero and company have certainly done their part in that pursuit this summer, drafting Jack Hughes, trading for P.K. Subban, and signing Wayne Simmonds. While the ultimate goal is to become a contender as soon as possible, the more pressing need – also with that goal in mind – is to convince superstar forward Taylor Hall that New Jersey is a team worth staying with to win a Stanley Cup. Hall is an impending free agent next summer and could be in line for a record-breaking contract, whether he tests the open market or not. The Devils have the cap space to meet his salary demands, but needed to focus this off-season on improving the talent around him after a season in which the team finished well outside the playoff picture. On paper, New Jersey should return to relevance next season and early indications are that Hall is happy with the transformation. In an interview with TSN, the 2018 Hart Trophy winner said that seeing the summer used to improve the talent level of the team and inject new blood after a disappointing campaign is exactly what you want to see. He added that Shero asked his opinion of the Subban trade before it was made and that he was totally on board and excited to play with his fellow star. All signs point to Hall being in favor of these off-season changes and eager to get started with the new season. If the Devils perform to the level they should on paper, Hall will have much more reason to consider a long-term extension to stay in New Jersey.
  • New Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri could have gone elsewhere if he wanted. The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons reports that Kadri flexed his No-Trade Clause to block a trade to the Calgary Flames. Even after taking calls from Flames GM Brad Treliving and head coach Bill Peters, Kadri nixed a deal that would have seen he and Connor Brown, now an Ottawa Senator, go to Calgary in exchange for T.J. Brodie and Mark Jankowski. Simmons did not explain why Kadri was anti-Calgary, but did note that the fit in Colorado is better. As for the end result for the Leafs, Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot are a better package, but cost the the team young defenseman Calle Rosen, who Simmons states they did not wish to move, as well as a third-round pick. Also, Brodie would have been a more affordable defenseman to re-sign compare to Barrie, who could very well price himself out of Toronto after one year. It’s a toss up on which deal would have been better had Kadri not put his foot down.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Tyson Barrie

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Tyson Barrie, Alexander Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Nazem Kadri, Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round selection. The Avalanche will also be retaining 50% of Barrie’s contract, which results in the Maple Leafs only being responsible for a $2.75MM cap hit for the offensive defenseman.

For some time now the Maple Leafs have been looking for an upgrade on the right side of their blue line, and will get it in Barrie who is coming off another incredible offensive season. The 27-year old had 14 goals and 59 points for the Avalanche and has been one of the league’s top puck-movers since entering the league back in 2011-12. Through 484 career games, Barrie has 307 points and could form a solid one-two punch with Morgan Rielly who is also coming off a career-best 72-point season. The team now projects to have a brand new right side with Barrie joining Cody Ceci who was acquired from the Ottawa Senators earlier today.

The Leafs have actually cleared even more cap space with this deal for the time being, as Kadri had three years left on his contract and carried a $4.5MM hit. That may change quickly however as Kerfoot is a restricted free agent coming off consecutive 40+ point seasons after signing out of Harvard University. The 24-year old decided not to join the New Jersey Devils who originally drafted him and instead went to Colorado where he has enjoyed a healthy opportunity playing both center and wing. Kerfoot has recorded 31 of his 85 career points on the powerplay, but may not get quite the same chance to touch the puck in Toronto with the man advantage given their glut of talented forwards.

For Colorado, this deal is all about securing a legitimate second-line center to play behind Nathan MacKinnon. Though Kadri was limited to just 16 goals and 44 points last season with the Maple Leafs that was more about opportunity and usage than talent. The seventh-overall pick from 2009 had consecutive 32-goal seasons prior to Toronto’s signing of John Tavares which bumped him down in the lineup, and he should get close to that again if given the chance in Colorado. The fact that he is cost-controlled for three more seasons at a more than reasonable $4.5MM makes him an extremely valuable piece for the Avalanche who have added a fair amount of scoring prowess in the last few days.

The biggest reason Barrie was even available is the way the Avalanche have built out their blue line, with names like Cale Makar, Bowen Byram and Conor Timmins all looking like they will be real contributors next season. The Maple Leafs meanwhile will hope that they can maintain some level of depth down the middle with the signings they made today, adding Jason Spezza and Nick Shore to the mix. William Nylander and Kerfoot also have experience at center, while Auston Matthews and John Tavares will obviously dominate the playing time and matchups.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 04/24/19

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Two series came to an end last night as the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs will be heading home. With two more teams eliminated there will be a few minor moves over the next few days to fix rosters and prepare for the second round. As always, we’ll be right here to keep track of them.

  • The Maple Leafs have returned Calle Rosen to the minor leagues where he will join the Toronto Marlies for their own playoff run. Rosen has been the Marlies best defenseman at times this season and won a Calder Cup with the team last year. He did not suit up for a game in the NHL playoffs, but may have a role on the team next season as Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey both head to unrestricted free agency.
  • The Nashville Predators have sent Niclas Westerholm to the Milwaukee Admirals, after he served as the team’s third goaltender in the playoffs. The Admirals already have starting options, but after allowing 13 goals in the first two games of their series against the Iowa Wild perhaps they’ll consider Westerholm for game 3 on Thursday evening.

Minor Transactions: 03/31/19

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Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin picked up his 50th goal of the season on Saturday in the team’s 6-3 victory over Tampa Bay, giving him eight 50-goal seasons throughout his career. That puts the Capitals forward among elite company, as only Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky have accomplished that feat. Of course, both of those two players have done it nine times, which means that Ovechkin will need to pull it off one more time if he wants to tie those two legendary players. With another slate of potential season-altering games today, with the playoffs now right around the corner, keep an eye out for the minor moves that teams are making to give them the best chance to maximize their points in these final games:

  • The Buffalo Sabres have returned defenseman Matt Tennyson to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. The team recalled him Thursday, but Tennyson didn’t see any action in either game the Sabres have played since then. The 28-year-old Tennyson has four goals and 20 points in 45 AHL games.
  • The San Jose Sharks have returned defenseman Jacob Middleton after recalling him Saturday night to serve as an emergency defenseman, according to CapFriendly. He did not play in Saturday’s overtime win over Vegas. The 23-year-old Middleton will return to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, where he has five goals and 19 points in 54 games.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Boston Bruins have assigned center Karson Kuhlman to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Kuhlman was recalled Friday on emergency conditions. Kuhlman did not see any action in the team’s loss to Florida Saturday. The 23-year-old Kuhlman has 12 goals and 30 points in 58 AHL games.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Kaden Fulcher from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL under emergency conditions. He is expected to backup starter Jimmy Howard while Jonathan Bernier is out with an upper-body injury. Fulcher hasn’t even made an appearance with the Griffins as the 20-year-old has played his entire season with the ECHL Toledo Walleye where he has gone 15-7-2 with a 3.00 GAA and a .899 save percentage. CapFriendly also reports that the team has recalled forward Dominic Turgeon on an emergency basis. The 23-year-old prospect hasn’t played a game for Detroit this season, but has accumulated six goals and 19 points in 69 games with the Griffins.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced they have recalled defenseman Calle Rosen from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Rosen, who signed as a free agent in the summer of 2017, played four games for Toronto immediately then, but then was assigned to the Marlies. He put up 22 points in 62 games that year , but has taken his game to another level this season as he has posted seven goals and 46 points in 54 games and was signed to an inexpensive, tw0-year extension with the understanding he will take over a spot on the Maple Leafs’ blueline next season. Rosen is expected to meet the team in New York and play with the team on Monday.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled defenseman Mark Barberio from his conditioning stint with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. The 29-year-old blueliner hadn’t played in a game since Jan. 21, so the team sent him to the AHL to get his timing back in case they need to use him. Barberio has played in just 12 games this season for the Avalanche. He picked up an assist in two games with the Eagles.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Austin Watson from his conditioning stint with the Milwaukee Admirals, according to The Athletic’s Adam Vingan. Watson, who had been suspended indefintely to an “alcohol related relapse,” and entered Stage Two of the joint Substance Abuse and Behavioral Program, was reinstated on Mar. 18. To get him ready for the approaching playoffs, the team sent him on a conditioning loan where he scored four goals in two games.

Atlantic Notes: Rosen, Palat, Borowiecki, Sobotka

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While the Toronto Maple Leafs are still without injured defenseman Jake Gardiner, the team will get some defensive help as head coach Mike Babcock said that the Toronto Marlies’ top defensmean, Calle Rosen, is expected to join the Maple Leafs in New York on Monday and jump into Toronto’s lineup immediately, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

The 25-year-old Rosen has put up a big season in the AHL as he has seven goals and 46 points in 54 games this season and was signed to a two-year extension in December to keep him with the team at a cheap price with the general belief that Rosen will be a solid, inexpensive option who can provide the team with the depth they need over the next couple of years.

Babcock said that Rosen, who hadn’t been called up yet after suffering a foot injury several weeks ago, will stay in the lineup until Gardiner is ready to return.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are expected to get back winger Ondrej Palat on Saturday after he was forced to leave Monday’s game against Boston with an upper-body injury, according to Tampa Bay Times’ Mari Faiello. The forward took a big hit from the Bruins’ Connor Clifton in the first period and did not return. He then missed Tuesday’s practice, but skated on Friday and again this morning and is expected to return to the lineup without having missed a game, taking the place of Ryan Callahan, who will be a healthy scratch.
  • The Ottawa Senators will be without defenseman Mark Borowiecki on Saturday, as he has been ruled out with an upper-body injury, according to NHL.com’s Craig Medaglia. While the 29-year-old is listed as day-to-day, the injury isn’t considered to be too serious and he is expected to return before the season ends. “It shouldn’t keep him out too long,” said the coach this morning. “Unfortunately he will not be able to play for us this evening.” The team also expects that forward Zack Smith is expected to return to the lineup tonight against Toronto.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced that veteran forward Vladimir Sobotka will be out Saturday with an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old Sobotka hasn’t had the season that many had hoped for when Buffalo picked him up this summer as part of a package for center Ryan O’Reilly. Sobotka, who recorded 11 goals and 31 points last season in St. Louis, has just five goals and 13 points this season in 69 games.

Toronto’s Jake Gardiner Still Has No Timetable For Return

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have played 10 games without top-four defenseman Jake Gardiner, who has been out with a back injury, and it looks like the team misses him as they have struggled to a 5-4-1 record without him. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported late last night on Hockey Night in Canada that the Maple Leafs may be without Gardiner for quite a bit longer.

The 28-year-old blueliner has yet to resume skating and there is no timetable for his potential return. Despite often receiving the wrath of fans, Gardiner has been a key element to the team’s defense although his offense has dropped off this year. After posting 52 points last season, Gardiner has scored just two points and 27 assists in 60 games this year. Regardless, the team has struggled without the presence of Gardiner and defenseman Travis Dermott, who went down with shoulder injury on Feb. 27 and was expected to be out for four weeks and appears to be right on schedule.

It’s a tough situation for Toronto to be in after going out and acquiring Jake Muzzin in late January to bolster their defense. While there were rumors that Toronto was looking to add more depth to their defense, the team opted to stand pat defensively at the trade deadline, not realizing that they would lose two of their top-four defensemen not long thereafter. The team must put all their faith in their depth defensemen, including Martin Marincin, Justin Holl and Igor Ozhiganov. The team could also get some relief from the AHL as the team’s top defenseman, Calle Rosen, is close to returning from a foot injury and could fill in shortly.

 

 

Atlantic Notes: Senators, Kadri, Howard, Rosen

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With Guy Boucher out as head coach in Ottawa Friday, and 18 games left in the season, the young Ottawa Senators must make a quick decision on their head coaching job this summer. The team gave the interim tag to Marc Crawford, but unless he can turn around the franchise in those 18 games, the Sporting News’ Murray Pam writes that general manager Pierre Dorion may opt to look for a new voice to coach the franchise.

Among the top potential candidates that could take over this summer, Pam suggests that 66-year-old Jacques Martin could be an interesting candidate that can give the team a fresh voice. The veteran coach, who was raised in Saint-Pascal, Ont., not far from Ottawa, has been an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last six years, 31 years of NHL experience and has two Stanley Cup rings.

One obvious candidate could also come from within as the Belleville Senators’ head coach, Troy Mann, who has done an impressive job in his first year as head coach of the AHL franchise and already knows many of the players on the team’s roster. His recent track record is the most interesting as he has led the team to a 16-game unbeaten streak as the team has gone 11-0-5 and is on the cusp of the AHL playoffs. He’s in his fifth year as an AHL head coach. The scribe throws in several other candidates, including Montreal Canadiens’ assistant Luke Richardson and Columbus Blue Jackets’ assistant Brad Shaw.

  • Despite missing his sixth straight game Saturday, Toronto Maple Leafs Nazem Kadri, who has been out with a concussion, seems to be improving. According to The Star’s Kevin McGran, Kadri skated this morning, which is a good sign for his recovery. “Obviously, our medical staff has to do a good job with those guys and keep them out as long as they’re supposed to be out,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock. “I think it’s obviously good for him to be out there, just morale-wise. It looks like he’s going in the right direction. I didn’t talk to the coaches since he’s been out, just to see what kind of skate they were able to give him and what he was able to handle. (We’ll) still monitor that and see, and then we’ll see how hard we can push him. I don’t know when he’s ready.”
  • Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard has struggled immensely in the month of February, posting a 3.97 GAA and a .866 save percentage in nine games. On top of that, he has been pulled from his last three games, not exactly what you’d expect from a goaltender who represented the Atlantic Division at the All-Star Game. However, don’t expect the veteran to give up. Howard has spent countless hours studying video of his play, trying to figure out what’s gone wrong, according to Dana Gauruder of the Detroit Free Press. “To be honest, going through the video, it’s just being off by a fraction,” he said. “Not having the correct angle. When you don’t have that as a goalie, guys can put the puck in tight areas and that’s what’s happened.”
  • With recent injuries to Toronto Maple Leafs’ defensemen Travis Dermott and Jake Gardiner, many fans have wondered why Toronto hasn’t turned to promising young defenseman Calle Rosen. The 25-year-old has been tearing up the AHL with the Toronto Marlies this year and signed a two-year extension with the team back in December. However, Rosen can’t be recalled yet, according to the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby, because he took a puck off his foot a few days ago and isn’t ready to return to the ice just yet. Regardless, Rosen, who has seven goals and 44 points in 52 games with the Marlies, could be called up soon.

Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we keep going with the Atlantic Division, here is a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have already made a major move. GM Kyle Dubas got a jump start on the deadline market and acquired Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin two weeks ago. It was a much-needed addition of a top-pair caliber defender to a team that had concerning depth. However, Toronto also surrendered their 2019 first-round pick and arguably two of their top five prospects in the process.

With a major asset added and significant trade capital lost, should Dubas and the Maple Leafs refrain from making any more moves? Absolutely not. Toronto has the luxury of cap space this season and it will be a very, very long time before that happens again. The team must be mindful of entry-level bonuses and the cap impact next year if they carry over, but should take advantage of this opportunity to spend. As good as the team has been this season, there are still holes in the lineup that can be filled. The Leafs are also trying to hold off the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens in the divisional race, but almost surely will face one or the other in the first round of the postseason and then, if they’re lucky, the league leading Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. The Atlantic Division is stacked and if Toronto wants to take advantage of a strong roster and ample cap space before an impending salary crunch potentially reshapes their roster this summer, they should be all-out buyers at the deadline. A Stanley Cup title is within reach, but reinforcements would certainly help.

Record

34-18-3, second in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$20.09MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, STL 4th, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, DAL 7th, TOR 7th
2020: TOR 1st, TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, TOR 4th, TOR 6th, EDM 7th, SJ 7th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

The Maple Leafs are more likely than not going to make several smaller moves as the deadline approaches rather than another Muzzin deal. Fortunately, that means that the team can likely get away with making young roster forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson and top prospect defenseman Rasmus Sandin untouchable.

However, everything else will still be on the table. That includes more draft picks, although the team’s second-round selection this year will likely be difficult to pry away after losing their first-rounder already. More so, it includes several other intriguing prospects that belong to the team. Some believe that another high-end defensive prospect, Tim Liljegren, is also an untouchable for the Leafs, while others say that he can be had in the right deal. If Toronto is pursuing one of the top names at their positions of need and no longer has a first-round pick this year to offer, Liljegren could be the next-best thing to sellers. Fellow AHL defenseman, Calle Rosen, is having quite a year for the Marlies and could also draw interest. 2017 second-round pick Eemeli Rasanen, currently skating in the KHL, is an interesting trade possibility, as is OHL standout Mac Hollowell, a fourth-round pick last year.

Up front, Jeremy Bracco has established himself as the next impact young forward for the Maple Leafs, if he can survive that long. Bracco, a 2015 second-round pick, is enjoying a point-per-game campaign with the Marlies that is sure to have caught some eyes around the league. Toronto would hate to part with an affordable scoring option for next season, but offering up Bracco could go a long way in trade talks. Trevor Moore could also fight for a spot on the Leafs next year, but is older and has less upside and would hurt less to part with. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is an intriguing junior prospect to keep an eye on, too.

The Maple Leafs are hoping that Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll, a 2016 third-round pick, will turn pro after his junior year and provide some upside and talent in the AHL. However, does that make Woll untouchable? If Toronto thinks he may return for his senior season at BC, they could be willing to move him. The team may also feel more strongly about another goalie prospect, WHL star Ian Scott, as their keeper of the future, making Woll more expendable. It’s doubtful that the team moves Woll, but there are factors that could convince them to part with the promising netminder for the right return.

Then there is a subset of the players that Toronto is hoping to use as trade chips at the deadline. While there are positions of need at the deadline, cap space moving forward is the most important asset for Toronto. The Maple Leafs have a near-impossible cap crunch coming this off-season and could benefit from moving out expensive long-term contracts for extraneous players. Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is the main target; the 27-year-old has five seasons remaining at $4.5MM AAV and has regressed greatly this season. The Leafs will move him if at all possible. Forward Connor Brown, signed through next season at $2.1MM, has also seen his production slip this year and could be used in a hockey deal for a similar style rental.

Five Players To Watch For: D Tim Liljegren, D Calle Rosen, F Jeremy Bracco, D Nikita Zaitsev, F Connor Brown

Team Needs

1) Fourth-line Center: Last season, the Maple Leafs traded for Tomas Plekanec at the deadline. The year before, it was Brian Boyle and Eric Fehr. This is a team that loves to strengthen their checking line, particularly down the middle, and that is a need once again this season. It could be a need that is met very cheaply by any number of veteran two-way centers on expiring contracts. Players that fit that description aren’t often hard to come by. In fact, Fehr may even be available again if the Minnesota Wild fall out of the playoff race. Toronto has been connected to the Detroit Red Wings’ Luke Glendening, but the term on his contract is a concern. Another interesting possibility is the Chicago Blackhawks’ Marcus Kruger.

2) Right-shot Defenseman: Even after acquiring Muzzin, there is still talk that the team would like to add a natural right-handed defenseman. The team has decent depth in right shots in Zaitsev, Igor Ozhiganov, and Justin Holl, but the thought is that they could acquire an upgrade to that group, effectively making them all backup options in the postseason. How much trade capital the Leafs want to spend on a yet another defenseman remains to be seen, but a physical veteran like the New Jersey Devils’ Ben Lovejoy or the New York Rangers’ Adam McQuaid would be a good fit.

3) Depth Forward: Reiterating the intro, if there is cap space available – in consideration of bonus overages – the Leafs need to use it. Another rental forward, even without an obvious fit in the lineup, would come in handy. The team has previously been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes’ Micheal Ferland and the New York Rangers’ Mats Zuccarello, among others. If they can make it work to add another scoring forward like that, they may as well pull the trigger. Any team in the Atlantic Division can use all the help they can get surviving the postseason.

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