Trade Rumor: Leafs’ Dermott drawing interest

Pierre LeBrun with some inside info from Toronto.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Trade Rumor: Leafs’ Dermott drawing interest
Zuma Press

It’s not exactly a secret that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is on the hunt for some defensive help. Dubas and the Leafs have seemingly been linked to just about every defenceman on the trade market, but with the NHL’s trade deadline drawing closer, the hot stove seems to be heating up.

NHL insider Darren Dreger of TSN reported earlier today that the Leafs’ scouting staff was hard at work scouting the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames game last night and that the Leafs are taking a hard look at the Hurricanes’ defence.



Interesting. Dougie Hamilton, Jaccob Slavin, Justin Faulk and Brett Pesce are all rumoured to be on the trade block, so it’s no surprise that the Leafs are doing their due diligence. 

What is surprising, however is that an emerging member of the Leafs’ D corps is now suddenly in the trade spotlight. Rookie Travis Dermott has been great for the Leafs this season, so much so that TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Dermott is drawing interest from at least one NHL scout.

In his latest article for The Athletic, LeBrun manages to get an anonymous quote from a “veteran scout” that should leave Leafs fans equally excited and anxious. 

Check it out:

“They’ve got a guy who’s a third pairing guy who might just be the guy to put them over the top in a couple of years,’’ the scout said in referring to Travis Dermott. “He’s got the hockey sense, if he keeps developing, he’s that quarterback you’re looking for down the road.’’


Now, just because a team has interest in Dermott doesn’t mean he’s going anywhere, but it likely does mean that other teams will now perk up and, in turn, do their own due diligence on the rookie blue liner. The 22 year old has three goals and 14 points in 45 games with the Leafs this season and looks ready to step into Jake Gardiner’s role should the team elect to let him walk to free agency.