Rumour: Trade in the works in Toronto to fix urgent matter

The Toronto Maple Leafs received good news on Friday, however, bad news is just around the corner.

With the imminent return for goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Ilya Mikheyev, who returned to practice on Friday, the Maple Leafs will need to make room on the cap salary in order to have them back. Mrazek is being sent down to the Marlies for conditioning and will be off LTIR, which means GM Kyle Dubas will need to move pieces around.

As insider Frank Seravalli mentions, he could send Kyle Clifford, Michael Hutchinson, Joseph Woll, and Joey Anderson to the Marlies to have some available space. However, he also presents some actions that would mean an imminent could be in the works in Toronto.

First, he wonders if the Leafs could waive or trade Pierre Engvall or Nick Ritchie. Engvall has eight points in 24 games this season but has been looking good on the third line.

As for Ritchie, he has five points in 24 games played and his contract is more than Engvall’s. And we all know he hasn’t been living up to expectations this season.

Seravalli takes it a step further and wonders if Justin Holl could be on the move and makes convincing arguments. While the defenseman played in the Leafs’ 8-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche, his name is still in trade talks, but the Leafs would need the return to be draft picks or a prospect. Toronto could get a good return for him, especially with a year left on his deal and might look to move him in the summer.

The Leafs have more depth up front and it could be a gamble to move Holl especially if injuries take place on the blue line.

No matter what, the Maple Leafs need to make room on the cap space, therefore, something will happen shortly in Toronto.