With the NHL trade deadline less than one week away, there’s no shortage of rumours surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs need a third-line centre, a partner for Morgan Rielly, and another depth defencman. Realistically, the Maple Leafs have enough assets for a third-line centre and a depth defenceman without mortgaging the farm system.
One name floating around is St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn. There’s a lot to like about Schenn’s game, as we will explore. But at what cost? Let’s look at what Schenn brings, the acquisition cost, and consider whether it is worth it for the Maple Leafs.
Brayden Schenn’s value to the Maple Leafs
Schenn is in his fifth year of an eight-year deal that carries a cap hit of $6.5M AAV. Schenn currently plays on the second line for the Blues, and has 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points in 60 games this season. Currently, the Maple Leafs’ third-line centre is Max Domi or sometimes Pontus Holmberg. Schenn would be a massive upgrade and would potentially solve the Maple Leafs’ third-line centre hole for several years.
The Blues’ captain plays a two-way game, which brings physicality and competitiveness, and is defensively responsible. These are all things you want in a centreman, and more importantly, Schenn brings this come playoffs. Schenn could add another strong voice and mentor the younger players in a locker room that has had little success in the playoffs. Though, with the core being in their mid-20s, this might be a moot point.
Schenn is also no stranger to Craig Berube. Craig Berube reached out to Schenn after Schenn played his 1,000th game, saying:
“I love that player. I love the guy. He’s a super human being…A thousand games is a lot of games in the league. I always say that guys who can play that long are dedicated to the game. They do all the right things throughout the summer, game in and game out preparing…”
Schenn and Berube both won a Stanley Cup together in the 2018–19 season with the Blues. If Schenn is acquired, his transition could be seamless as the Maple Leafs ramp up for the playoffs.
How much will it cost?
Mike Johnston and Jonas Siegel suggest that the assets to acquire Schenn would not be cheap. And they’re not joking as they stated:
“Could be a package of a first-round pick, a top prospect in Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten or Ben Danford, and perhaps prospect Nikita Grebenkin as well. The Leafs may have to throw in an additional sweetener for the Blues or another team to eat salary on Schenn’s contract.”
To draw a comparison, let’s look at a trade in the 2022–23 season. The Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the Blues ahead of the 2022–23 NHL trade deadline. Part of this deal involved the Blues retaining 50% of O’Reilly’s salary and involved Minnesota retaining an additional 25% of O’Reilly’s salary. The Blues obtained Adam Gaudette, Mikhail Abramov, Toronto’s first-round pick in 2023, Toronto’s second-round pick in 2024, and Ottawa’s third-round pick in 2023. Minnesota received Toronto’s fourth-round pick in 2025.
Now, Schenn does have more term than O’Reilly and Acciari did. However, the term and salary is a boat anchor at $6.5M AAV, and Schenn would be signed until he’s 36. Furthermore, the Maple Leafs received a first-second line centre in O’Reilly, a good bottom-sixer in Acciari, and 75% salary retention. This addressed two important needs of the 2022–23 Maple Leafs team.
The Maple Leafs gave up a lot less for O’Reilly and Acciari than what the Blues are asking for Schenn.
Is it worth the price?
As a Maple Leafs fan, I do have a certain bias towards the Maple Leafs, and I’m prone to falling in love with every prospect. However, if this is the rumoured ask, then respectfully, this is an extreme overpay.
To give up a first-round pick, plus a top prospect, plus another decent prospect, plus another sweetener is absolutely bonkers for an aging second-third line centre that has a large contract for another three years after this season. Especially for a centre with only one more goal than Nicholas Robertson, who’s played 10 fewer games, and six more goals than Pontus Holmberg, who’s played 14 fewer games this season.
If the Maple Leafs pay this price, there would be very few assets to fill other holes on the roster. In addition, some of these prospects are showing they are close. In the 15 games that Minten has played with the Maple Leafs this year, he looks close to being a solid NHL contributor as a third-line centre, if not next year. It makes more sense to go after a younger, shorter term option like Scott Laughton, which would cost less.
Grebenkin is having a decent year in his first AHL season, scoring nine goals with 11 assists for 20 points in 37 games with the Toronto Marlies. Cowan has unofficially set the OHL consecutive game point streak with 65 games. While Grebenkin and Cowan are likely years away, if the Maple Leafs were to involve them in a trade, they should be used to acquire an absolute game-changer.
The fit
I question whether Schenn is actually a good fit. In the Blues’ Stanley Cup run, Schenn scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 26 games. However, he was 27 years old during that run, which was six years ago. Schenn is not the same player he was. Furthermore, is this production for the rumoured ask that impressive? I’d argue no.
There’s also a long-term fit for the Maple Leafs. Schenn would effectively replace John Tavares as the second-line centre after this year for the next three years. Tavares is on pace to finish the season with 68 points, three more than last season, playing eight fewer games. He has out-produced Schenn playing a Berube-style system this year to the point of potentially beating Schenn’s most productive year, which was 70 points a year before the Blues’ cup run.
Tavares stated a few days ago that he would love to sign a new contract with the Maple Leafs before the deadline. Assuming this is a two-to-three-year deal, the cap hit would be much lower than his current $11M AAV, probably between $5M and $6.5M, given Tavares’ age. Also, we know without a doubt how Tavares fits within the existing system and what skills he brings.
As much as Schenn has a Stanley Cup pedigree and leadership, I would rather have Tavares for two to three additional years, who is only one year older than Schenn, and keep our assets for a better move if presented.
Way Forward
I am not against moving the pieces in the purported ask for Schenn. However, I don’t think Schenn is the player you spend them acquiring. That’s not to say that perhaps a larger deal can be worked out with the Blues, by adding Colton Parayko or another defenceman in the deal.
However, Parayko is in year three of an eight-year $6.5M AAV deal, which brings him to the age of 37. That would involve the Blues or several teams to retain salary on both Schenn and Parayko long-term, and I would have to imagine that cost would be too high. I understand the Maple Leafs are in a “win now” mode, but there have to be other deals out there that make more sense.
But what are your thoughts on acquiring Brayden Schenn? Who should the Maple Leafs acquire for a playoff run? Let us know below!
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Fully aligned with you. Way too much of an overpymt. Rather go after Scott Laughton from Philly and then bring in a top four Dman like Risto.
It’s like Brad Treliving read your mind! But instead of Risto, we got someone better in Carlo.