Leafs’ failed trade at deadline exposed and it would have been difference-maker in the playoffs!

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving did what he could at the trade deadline to push his team further into the postseason, but it wasn’t enough. Despite adding depth forward Scott Laughton and defenseman Brandon Carlo, the Leafs were once again ousted before the Eastern conference final.

While Carlo looked like a great pick up at the deadline, he did not record a point in the postseason and ended up with a -4 rating in 13 games.

And we come to find out that Toronto and GM Treliving had someone else in mind for the job.

When speaking about the offseason moves that could come on the blue line for the Ottawa Senators, insider Bruce Garrioch revealed in his article how the Maple Leafs offered a massive trade haul to acquire Rasmus Ristolainen from Philly. The Leafs were turned down:

“League executives also suggested the Senators could try to see if they can find a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers for right-shot blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen, who has two years left at $5.1 million per season.

But it should be noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs tried desperately to get Ristolainen at the trade deadline in March, and were rebuffed.

“The Leafs offered the moon and couldn’t get him out of there,” a league source said.”

It is easy for me to write that this could have changed a whole lot for Toronto in the end, but the truth is that we will never know.

At this point, with the expectations that Mitch Marner will not re-sign in Toronto and Treliving and head coach Craig Berube working on a new plan that isn’t the Shanaplan, you have to wonder if Toronto will once again attempt to go after Ristolainen.