Leafs about to make a panic trade they’ll regret?

Can we hold our breath until Monday?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Leafs about to make a panic trade they’ll regret?
Twitter

The TSN gang has reported that Toronto Maple Leafs and their general manager Kyle Dubas have been aggressively scouting other teams for the last few days. 

It is true, the Leafs managed to add experienced defenseman Jake Muzzin to the crew a few weeks ago and first appeared happy with the addition of the veteran blue liner. 

However with just three days to go prior to the deadline, the Leafs are now riding a three-game losing streak and might be wondering if they need to acquire more before it’s too late on Monday. 

During the TSN’s Bobcast, Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun wondered if the Leafs want to give up  top-end prospects to improve for the stretch run.

While it seems like no one from the current roster will be on the move, the TSN boys did bring up the fact that some promising prospects might be sacrificed to get a piece like Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes or Adam McQuaid of the New Rangers for additional depth on the back end. The Leafs have continuously been scouting the Canes, as LeBrun pointed out: they have been looking at them at least three times this month. 

“What we continually are told is that ‘Yeah, they’re scouting (right-shot defencemen), but they don’t want to give up a player off their existing NHL roster,’” Dreger said on the TSN Hockey Bobcast. “So, then you look to the (Toronto) Marlies and you see (Timothy) Liljegren,  you see (Andreas) Borgman, and you see Jeremy Bracco and guys like that - I’m sure everybody’s asking for (Rasmus) Sandin, but that’s not happening.”
“They’re not getting Sandin,” McKenzie added. “And there are other people who maintain that Liljegren is an untouchable too and I don’t believe that. That’s my take, is that he could be had, that Sandin’s the guy that they really want to protect at all costs. But that they’d be much more open to just about anybody else off the Marlies.”

Liljegren is the Leafs first-round selection in 2017 and has recorded  two goals and eight points in 23 games with the Marlies this season. His teammate Sandin was picked 29th overall last June and remains the untouchable. He has five goals and 11 points in 25 games during his first season with the Marlies.

However, it remains to be seen if one of the prospects, including Liljegren will be moved before Monday. After all, it could be a trade the Leafs will regret if they add too many pieces to the roster and failed to make a long run in the postseason. Then the financial puzzle becomes even trickier in the summer…

Source: TSN