The Toronto Maple Leafs made a notable splash in the free agent market by acquiring Chris Tanev, a top-pair defenseman, though they paid a premium for his services. Despite this, the team didn’t make significant changes to their forward lineup, and notably, they lost winger Tyler Bertuzzi to the Chicago Blackhawks amid tampering allegations.
A user on PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool suggested a series of trades that could overhaul the Maple Leafs’ roster across all positions: goal, defense, and offense. The proposed trades are as follows:
Maple Leafs Receive:
– Patrik Laine
– 2025 Blue Jackets 1st-Round Pick
– 2026 Blue Jackets 1st-Round Pick
– Shea Theodore
– 2027 Golden Knights 1st-Round Pick
– 2025 Golden Knights 2nd-Round Pick
– Yaroslav Askarov
– 2026 Predators 3rd-Round Pick
Blue Jackets Receive:
– Mitch Marner
– 2026 Maple Leafs 3rd-Round Pick
Golden Knights Receive:
– Timothy Liljegren
– Jake McCabe
Predators Receive:
– Anthony Stolarz
– 2026 Maple Leafs 1st-Round Pick
In addition to these trades, there are two more moves that involve sending David Kampf and Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals respectively, with Toronto receiving Thomas Bordeleau, a Sharks 2025 2nd-round pick, and Martin Fehervary in return.
Completing these trades would address Marner’s situation, preventing him from leaving for nothing, and also move Liljegren, who has been a source of discord. Additionally, the Leafs would gain a promising young goalie in Askarov, who is available after the Predators extended their main goalie, Juuse Saros, long-term.
Mitch Marner and the Golden Knights:
Marner is the most valuable asset on the Leafs’ roster and is entering the final year of his contract, making him a prime candidate for trade. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has linked Marner to the Golden Knights, citing their need for offensive power and their surplus of defensemen.
However, aligning Marner’s salary with Theodore’s in a one-for-one trade is challenging, requiring more players to be included in the deal. In this scenario, the Golden Knights would acquire Liljegren and McCabe instead of Marner. Marner would be traded to the Blue Jackets for Laine.
Feasibility of a Marner-Laine Trade:
A trade between the Leafs and Blue Jackets involving Marner and Laine would require agreement from both teams and approval from the players, as Marner has a full no-move clause and Laine a modified no-trade clause. Laine, who has requested a trade from the Blue Jackets, might be more open to moving.
Laine, who has two years remaining on his contract with an $8.7 million cap hit, has had a mixed record with injuries and limited appearances last season.
Predators’ Goalkeeper Situation:
With the Predators signing Saros to a substantial extension, Askarov is on the trading block. Predators GM Barry Trotz has confirmed that the team is exploring trade options for Askarov, though there is no rush to move him. Askarov, under contract through the 2024-25 season with a cap hit of $925,000, had a strong performance in limited appearances last season.
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