Rumour roundup: Leafs targeting several top defensemen

The rumour mill has been buzzing lately, and the Toronto Maple Leafs figure to be one of the central players on the market lately. With their offensive depth essentially set in stone, general manager Lou Lamoriello is prioritizing the acquisition of a top 4 defenseman, and several names have been linked to the team in trade chatter as of late.

The big name that keeps coming up is Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Arizona Coyotes. The stud defenseman would be a great fit with the Leafs, and although Coyotes GM John Chayka has refuted reports of him shopping OEL, TSN's Bob McKenzie revealed that there is some substance to a William Nylander-OEL swap that's circling in the rumoursphere.

With the Montreal Canadiens in free-fall, there's been talk that Shea Weber could be had for the right price. Travis Yost of TSN outlines the possibility, mentioning the fit in terms of need and the relationship with Mike Babcock through Team Canada. The price tag would be enormous and would be a very difficult deal to swing given the rivalry between the two clubs.

New York Post's Larry Brooks has discussed the possibility of New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh being shopped since the Rangers' woes began early this season, and speculated that the Leafs could swing a deal for the top defenseman. He believes the swap would be with Mitch Marner.

There's also talk that Lamoriello could pry Chris Tanev out of Vancouver - the defenseman has good chemistry with Morgan Rielly through international play, according to Mike Halford of the Athletic.

The Leafs were also reportedly close to acquiring Tyson Barrie from the Colorado Avalanche, per The Fourth Period. Could they circle back now that the Duchene saga is over?

All this to say, the Leafs have been discussed by the top hockey analysts and insiders for months and they figure to be serious about acquiring a coveted top defenseman before trade deadline.

Stay tuned, folks.