NHL Trade Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs rumor mill roundup
By Simon Vacca
As the NHL’s trade deadline nears, let’s take a look at all of the rumors surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ever since the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defender Jake Muzzin in a January 28th deal that sent the rights to Sean Durzi, Carl Grundstrom and the team’s 2019 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Kings, the consensus among many has been one of hopeful optimism. After all, there’s no doubt that Muzzin’s presence on the club’s back end adds pointed grit and two-way responsibility to an organization that hopes to seriously compete for Lord Stanley’s trophy.
Yet one question looms large. The addition of Muzzin provides some much needed steadiness, yes — but is it enough?
As I see it, the Leafs are about a piece or two away from being unanimously regarded as a prime contender in the postseason. But until that final element of the puzzle is added, the winds of doubt will continue to blow.
With the February 25th trade deadline on the not-so-distant horizon, let’s briefly review the Leafs’ potential trade targets.
Atlantic Division
- Detroit Red Wings — Luke Glendening, Nick Jensen
- Ottawa Senators — Matt Duchene, Mark Stone
I’ve heard just about nothing connecting the Leafs to the likes of the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. To be quite frank, this is unsurprising — all of the aforementioned organizations are division rivals and most of them aim to enter into the ranks of Stanley Cup contention.
The Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, however, are different matters altogether. The Buds are rumored to have explored the prospect of adding Red Wings center Luke Glendening — a Mike Babcock favorite — for two consecutive seasons. A walk down this alley would serve as a stark departure from the type of avenue that GM Kyle Dubas has shown a history of favoring — as such, rumblings of this variety have remained rather hushed. Nick Jensen, it seems, could be a far better fit, but whether he can help to solve the franchise’s defensive liabilities is a point of instability.
By extension, the thought of the Leafs taking a stab at landing any one of Matt Duchene or Mark Stone seems all but outside of the realm of possibility. That said, key pundits such as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman remain open to the suggestion — in part because of the mystique surrounding Dubas’ approach to administrative duties, and in part because of the eagerness that envelops Ontario’s capital city.
A trade with either team would be nothing short of a shocker, indeed, but stranger things have happened.