Rumours of possible trade to get Auston Matthews perfect winger on Leafs’ top line!

With Mitch Marner likely on his way out, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a serious gap to fill. As they head into a pivotal offseason, they’ll be looking to retool their top-six and get tougher to play against and insider James Mirtle believes he knows exactly who’s the perfect winger for captain Auston Matthews on the top line.

Mirtle has recently reported that the Buffalo Sabres could be willing to trade out Alex Tuch if he’s not interested in signing an extension. He’s got one year left at a very manageable $4.75M cap hit and is coming off a career-best 36-goal season. If Tuch is not happy in Buffalo and won’t re-sign with the Sabres, general manager Kevyn Adams could push him on the trade block instead of losing him for nothing next summer.

“Alex Tuch, coming off a 36-goal season, has one year left before becoming a UFA; if he doesn’t want to sign an extension, GM Kevyn Adams likely needs to move him to ensure he doesn’t walk for no return,” wrote Mirtle.

Tuch would be a dream fit on Matthews’ wing. At 6’4”, 220 pounds, he brings size, speed, and edge—everything Toronto’s forward group has often lacked when it matters most. Over the last three seasons, he’s put up 94 goals, racked up 241 blocks, delivered nearly 200 hits, and held a plus-39 rating. He’s not the same type of playmaker Marner is, but his game could complement Matthews perfectly.

And funny enough for a guy coming from Buffalo, Tuch would bring underrated playoff experience: 66 games and 33 points, mostly earned with limited roles with the Vegas Golden Knights. His experience could be a great asset for the cursed Maple Leafs in the postseason.

The Sabres are more than likely going to shake things up this summer with armo Kekalainen joining the front office. Buffalo could look to acquire Nick Robertson, Topi Niemelä, and and a mid-round pick in a deal that could even take place before the upcoming draft at the end of the month.

I can’t say if Adams would agree to a trade, but if I’m Brad Treliving, I’m already on the phone to bring Tuch to Toronto and become the ideal wingman for Matthews.