Leafs to Deal? Friedman Teases Deadline Shocker
Photo credit: Ron Chenoy | Imagn Images
The trade deadline is looming, and Craig Berube desperately needs a spark. Auston Matthews is untouchable, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are open for business.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman dropped a massive reality check on Monday's 32 Thoughts podcast. Multiple roster players could be shipped out before Friday's deadline to shake up a stagnant locker room.
The panic meter is completely red in Toronto right now. The team is stumbling hard with a 27-24-9 record, rapidly falling out of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
General Manager Brad Treliving is aggressively working the phones to find a lifeline. The defensive structure has completely collapsed while Craig Berube questioned each players' heart following Saturday's disaster against the Senators.
Friedman was quick to squash any ridiculous blockbuster rumors involving the top tier franchise cornerstones. Fans can stop sweating about losing their primary snipers.
"I don't think there's gonna be anything like that, I don't think Matthews or Nylander are going anywhere right now, but I do think Toronto wants to know 'What's the market for our guys,'" Friedman revealed.
That means the secondary scoring and the bottom-six supporting cast are officially on the block. The front office is desperate to salvage this disastrous stretch of hockey.
The blueline needs serious reinforcements immediately. The team has been bleeding goals since the Olympic break, leaving the goaltenders completely exposed.
Leafs working on a deadline day blockbuster?
Friedman doubled down on the chaotic energy surrounding the franchise ahead of the deadline. The pressure cooker is reaching an absolute boiling point in the biggest hockey market.
"I think at the very least it raises the possibility that they could do something this week that surprises us," said Friedman.
Sitting seventh in the Atlantic Division with just 63 points is a complete disaster for this payroll. The players in that room know a major shakeup is coming soon.
The insider kept the door wide open for a massive move that could completely alter the current roster construction. He refused to shut down the idea of a wild swing.
"I don't know what I would say the percentage of that is, but I do think it's possible," he noted.
Expect serious fireworks before the horn sounds on Friday.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 2|188 ANSWERS Leafs to Deal? Friedman Teases Deadline Shocker Will the Maple Leafs make a blockbuster trade this week ? | ||
| Yes | 100 | 53.2 % |
| No | 88 | 46.8 % |
| List of polls | ||