As the season winds to a close, the NHL offseason is nearly underway. Once the Stanley Cup is awarded there will be a flurry of offseason manoeuvres, meaning that for most, speculations have already begun to run amok. One of the more enticing avenues to ponder is the NHL trade market. Theoretically, any player in the league could move, but though many are largely expected not to, it is an exercise that can produce a chaotic volume of possibilities.
Without getting too far deep into hypotheticals, let’s look at some of the basic categories of players the Leafs might be able to target in the trade market, and some players to represent those concepts.
Options at centre
There is some merit to adding a centre, especially if the Leafs see David Kampf as a fourth line player. The Leafs do have a number of players beyond Auston Matthews and John Tavares that could play a top nine centre role, William Nylander, Pontus Holmberg, and Calle Jarnkrok, as well as pending UFA Max Domi, but not necessarily a true option down the middle.
Sean Couturier is an example of a bold move. Though recently missing significant time injured and currently the Philadelphia Flyers captain, Couturier had a tumultuous season under coach John Tortorella. If healthy, Couturier might have a similar effect on the Leafs lineup as Ryan O’Reilly did, and he would certainly take over the role of the Leafs top defensive matchup centre.
Ultimately, it is unlikely that Couturier is moved, but adding a centre of this style and quality would be wonderful for for Leafs. Of course, this means it will be costly as well. However compelled the Flyers could possibly be to offload Couturier, the Leafs would have to make significant moves to be able to afford him. This might mean moving off of a good player, or simply not being able to afford potential upgrades at other positions.
William Karlsson has been involved in many Armchair GM trades lately, and though stylistically different than Couturier, provides a solid reputation. Karlsson carries a more modest price point, though the principle of acquiring his services comes with similar parameters.
Barrett Hayton is not quite as established as Couturier or Karlsson, but might be able to fulfil a similar role to an extent. Hayton was once a high draft pick, but has not necessarily blossomed into a star, and does not look to be on his way. That said, Hayton has shown some growth and is still young. Jesperi Kotkaniemi might fit a similar description, though Kotkaniemi is a bit older and more expensive than Hayton. Both might be upgrades over Kampf and fill the biggest need the Leafs have up front. Kotkaniemi certainly seems to be the more available of the two.
Scott Laughton is not as certain of an upgrade over Kampf, though he might bring a bit more individual offence. Laughton is a quality bottom-six forward, not likely to find his way much higher in the lineup, though his physicality might earn him some opportunities in Toronto. Adding a bonafide top nine option has its appeal, though the Leafs do have a number of players who might be just as capable in those minutes.
Options on the wings
The Leafs deepest position is on the wings, making an addition here less likely. There is still a chance that some of the Leafs current wingers are moved, which would make the acquisition of another winger more likely.
Martin Necas is among the biggest wingers believed to be on the trade market, but he is hardly alone. The trio of Travis Konecny, Pavel Buchnevich, and Nikolaj Ehlers are others who have found their names in speculations. These are high-level players that would cost a lot to acquire, and a lot against the cap. To some extent adding such talents is always a good thing, but given the Leafs makeup and limited resources, these options hardly seem reasonable without trading a high-priced winger in return.
There will be other options available, and perhaps a lower-cost player like Tanner Jeannot is more likely. Jeannot has not fit as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning had hoped, to the point where the team might be looking to offload his salary for a fraction of the trade price they paid to acquire him. Jeannot is a rough-and-tumble player, a style that the current Leafs regime is expected to continue targeting. Though Jeannot has provided some offence in the past, this should not be the expectation for whichever team employs him next season. Famously, Jeannot’s best work with the Nashville Predators came on a checking line with Colton Sissons, and a role higher in a lineup would be inadvisable.
There will be other depth players available, perhaps such as Jesse Puljujarvi who is currently a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. A former high-end prospect, Puljujarvi has not been able to assert himself as an offensive option in the NHL. Still, his size and skating are pluses, and his ability to get on the forecheck would be appreciated by the Leafs. His minuscule cap hit would not hurt either. Ultimately, the Leafs might end up adding a winger or two through the offseason trade market, though players on smaller cap hits who can provide dimension beyond production are the more likely candidates.
Options on left defence
The Leafs blueline is rightly the focus of their offseason program. Despite more depth on the left side, adding legitimate quality here would still be a needed upgrade for the team. In particular, adding a left-shot defenceman who can challenge Morgan Rielly, or at least one who has the potential to do so, is necessary for the Leafs to improve their playoff results.
The aggressive nature of the Vegas Golden Knights sees them as a potential landing spot for any big name on the trade market. In turn, their players are often speculated about. Shea Theodore has been a popular name since Noah Hanifin was extended. The Ottawa Senators lack of recent success sees Jakob Chychrun involved in several mock trades as well. Both Theodore and Chychrun are at least rivals to Rielly’s effectiveness at this point, if not preferred options in the eyes of some. Adding either would not be cheap, but would give the Leafs the best defenceman they have had during the Matthews era outside of Rielly.
The other option the Leafs have is to target a younger defenceman who might be able to grow into a higher role. Philip Broberg is an intriguing option, a defenceman with all the tools to become a huge contributor. Broberg had been blocked from a regular role thanks to the Edmonton Oilers depth on the left side. Unfortunately for those hoping to acquire his services, midway through the Western Conference Final, Broberg was inserted into the lineup to great effect.
This recent development might well have made Broberg an indispensable piece of the Oilers roster going forward, but there are other defencemen who might be on the cusp of an ascent themselves if given the opportunity. Unproven defencemen are risky, but if the Leafs trust their evaluation on a similar player it would help their chances in the future.
Options on right defence
By far the biggest need on the Leafs roster is at right defence. While free agency is expected to be part of the solution, targeting right-shot defencemen on the trade market is a concrete possibility for the Leafs. At this point, all the Leafs have are question marks, from Conor Timmins, to RFA Timothy Liljegren, to UFA Ilya Lyubushkin, to unproven options like Nicholas Mattinen.
There might be some high-priced options on the market, though naturally these players would require the Leafs making significant salary concessions elsewhere. Seth Jones is not seen as a tremendous value contract at this point, but his skills would still be a massive upgrade to the Leafs blueline. The Chicago Blackhawks are rebuilding, and likely won’t feel pressured to move off of Jones, though fans of the team might have interest in their doing so. Less probable is the St. Louis Blues moving off of Colton Parayko, who would cost more to acquire but less against the cap. Neither are believed to be at their peaks, the basis of their being available, but perhaps with a stronger team around them their effectiveness can rebound.
There are other high-quality options that are more popular in the current rumour cycle, namely pending Vancouver Canucks RFA Filip Hronek and Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames. Neither has achieved the top-flight reputations that Jones and Parayko have in the past, but might be just as effective within the context of the Leafs roster next season. Andersson, in particular, has a cost-effective contract which should make him appealing.
Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks might not be of the same quality, as more of a specialized defensive option, but would still be a solid addition for the Leafs.
Of course, another option is to aim to add a younger player who might be able to grow into the quality of defencemen the Leafs require. Kaeden Korczak represents a reasonable option, who might be stuck behind a crowded Vegas Golden Knights blueline. Korczak does not appear to have top-end upside, but is well within striking distance of a regular NHL role for next season.
Options in net
While there might be a clear consensus on what the Leafs need or do not need to add at forward or defence, opinion is more split on the Leafs needs in net. A big part of the reason for this is the well-documented injury history of Joseph Woll. Woll is clearly capable of being a high-end goalie, and has performed very well in the playoffs, but the Leafs have little choice but to reinforce the position with a goalie or two who they can feel comfortable starting in the playoffs. There will be options on the free agent market, but the trade market likely holds higher quality.
The highest upside lies with Ilya Sorokin. Heading into last season, Sorokin was seen as a true Vezina Trophy candidate. Unfortunately for Sorokin, his performance dipped after Patrick Roy was hired as coach, the New York Islanders turning their season around riding with Semyon Varlamov as their starter. With a large eight-year contract extension kicking in next season, Sorokin might be available. Sergei Bobrovsky’s recent success might offer hope that once-Vezina candidates can always regain their top form, and Sorokin is young enough to be able to maintain a high level of play through his contract.
Linus Ullmark is a Vezina winner, and is rumoured to be available thanks to the emergence of Jeremy Swayman. The two have split the crease for the Boston Bruins fairly evenly, though no doubt the Bruins defensive play has helped each of their goalies perform at their best. Time will tell how eager the Bruins are to break up their elite tandem for help elsewhere on their roster, and the Leafs would certainly hope for a better outcome than the last time they traded for a Bruins goalie. Juuse Saros is another high-quality option, though his availability is much less certain. The Nashville Predators do have a strong successor in Yaroslav Askarov, though Askarov is not quite as ready to handle a true NHL starting job as Swayman is next season.
Jacob Markstrom is most definitely available, the rebuilding Flames looking to the future with Dustin Wolf, and several teams are rumoured to be interested. Though closer to the end of his career, Markstrom is still a high-quality starter. His age makes him a nice tandem option as Woll comes into his own, and his cap hit and term are more palatable than Sorokin’s. A return to Toronto for Frederik Andersen fits a similar mould, though Andersen has more availability concerns.
Elvis Merzlikins is another mainstay in trade rumours, as the goalie market has been slow over the past couple seasons. Merzlikins has struggled behind a poor Columbus Blue Jackets team, to the point where many question whether or not he can be a starter. John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks is more accomplished, but has faced similar challenges and criticisms of late. Acquiring either is a risk, and given their cap hits are not assets that the Leafs could easily afford. The acquisition cost would have to be low for the Leafs to consider either option, though it is not impossible either reasserts themselves behind a better team. To an extent, Jonas Koorpisalo of the Ottawa Senators might fit into this category as well, as expensive options that might be too overpriced for the Leafs to justify taking a gamble on.
Filip Gustavsson represents a younger option. Gustavsson has authored some success at the NHL level, but might be getting pushed out of the Minnesota Wild rotation by the highly touted and emerging Jesper Wallstedt. About the same age as Woll, Gustavsson started 45 games for the Wild last season and might be a better and more affordable option than Merzlikins, Korpisalo, and Gibson at this point.
There are plenty of options out there
For just about every position, GM Brad Treliving has options. The Leafs don’t have the best prospect pool, or the most draft picks, but can create appealing trade packages for just about every one of these players. It’s up to the front office to decide how they want to approach the trade market.
And while free agency is where the Leafs will likely do most of their work, a big trade to help fill out the roster would help shake things up and bring some energy back into the fanbase that so desperately needs it.
