Maple Leafs could pull elaborate plan trade for ultimate shot at the Stanley Cup

The consensus across the fanbase of the NHL is that the Toronto Maple Leafs are in win-now mode and will attempt to make a splash on the trade market ahead of the March 3rd deadline to get the ultimate boost up front for a long playoff run.

This explains why the Maple Leafs have been linked for weeks to trade baits Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and now Timo Meir of the San Jose Sharks.

However, insider Elliotte Friedman believes the Maple Leafs find use a unique approach to land Meier, despite being cap-strapped. While on the air of Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill, Friedman did not reveal what the level of interest was from Toronto when it came to Meier, but did entertain the idea that general manager Kyle Dubas could acquire him, only to flip him in the summer, hopefully after hosting the Stanley Cup.

“The one thing I think about Meier is that — like the thing with the Leafs is you could do it and then flip him,” Friedman said on Leafs Morning Take, “and Dubas is the kind of guy who would think like that.

“Now the price is going to be enormous. That’s the one thing, like, Toronto doesn’t have a ton of cap room, they don’t have a ton of picks, and they want to keep their picks. I don’t know if they have the juice to pull that deal off.”

Friedman, who believes the New Jersey Devils are the dark horses in the Meier sweepstakes, also dismisses the idea that the Maple Leafs would give up prospect Matthew Knies in a trade.

It remains to be seen if Dubas, who could be the GM to pull this trade and flip move, will manage to get it done prior to the March 3rd deadline.

Recommended articles:

• Rangers set to make the biggest splash on the trade front
• A surprise contender emerges in Timo Meier trade talks
• Timo Meier and Brandon Carlo drop the gloves just 27 seconds into the game!
• Rangers turn the page on Patrick Kane and are now going after another pending free agent star
• Fire sale in San Jose as trade talks heat up!