Top Insider Confirms the Toronto Maple Leafs Are Set on Trading a Defenseman
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a big weakness involving their defensemen, and according to James Mirtle, some kind of trade could be coming very soon.
One of the biggest weaknesses for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season was their lack of a puck-moving defenseman.
Morgan Rielly had a scoring slump last season, and there was no one to pick up the pieces. As a result, the team would go weeks without a goal from the blue line.
In today's NHL, you need a defenseman who can get you some goals, while also setting up one-timers on the power play. With no puck-movers on the free agent market, the Leafs would therefore have to make a trade.
Toronto Maple Leafs need a puck-moving defenseman
Recently, James Mirtle wrote a piece for The Athletic, where he discussed the Leafs' defensive issues and how general manager Brad Treliving will go about fixing them.
Ultimately, the reporter believes the Leafs are very much interested in trading one of the defenseman on their roster, so they can make room for someone with more offensive prowess.
They'd like to somehow get another puck mover back there, which would mean moving one of the more defensive types out.
The two defenseman on the Leafs that come to mind right now are Simon Benoit and Brandon Carlo, although Oliver Ekman-Larsson could be a target as well.
As for who the Leafs would trade for, well, Bowen Byram certainly comes to mind as he is a defenseman who has tremendous potential and upside.
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs do not have a ton of assets right now, and that is going to make a trade exceptionally difficult.
Either way, there is a lot to think about right now if you're Treliving, and we do not envy the position he is in.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 5 | 191 ANSWERS Top Insider Confirms the Toronto Maple Leafs Are Set on Trading a Defenseman Do you believe the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade a defenseman soon? | ||
| YES | 141 | 73.8 % |
| NO | 50 | 26.2 % |
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