The NHL trade deadline may still be 100 days away, but rest assured, that hasn’t stopped Leafs Nation from beginning their fantasy shopping.
In case you haven’t heard, the Leafs are acquiring Sidney Crosby between now and March 7th.
Admittedly, I fanned that fire when I discussed the dream scenario with Jay Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take on Tuesday morning. Obviously, that’s not happening. Having said that, at this point, you can probably put good money on Toronto acquiring a top 9 centre over the next few months.
With that in mind, I put together a list of three guys that would make a lot of sense —at least to me. They all have playoff experience, too.
RYAN O’REILLY – Nashville Predators
Yes, I’m down to try this again. In his short time as a Maple Leaf, I thought O’Reilly was a fantastic fit. If you recall, the 33-year-old played a big hand in getting Toronto to the second round for the first time in two decades. For what it’s worth, he’s been just as effective – if not better – since joining Nashville. After this season, O’Reilly still has two years left on his deal at $4.5 million a year. With the salary cap going up, that should be no problem to stomach. He’s still a very useful player, and unquestionably, he would slot perfectly behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares once again down the middle.
BROCK NELSON – New York islanders
If I was Brad Treliving, Nelson would be my No. 1 target. Of course, a lot of this would be dependent on how the year plays out for the Islanders. If they’re in the mix for a playoff spot, I don’t think it would make much sense for New York to move him. That said, the 33-year-old is in a contract year, and if he can’t come to terms on an extension, Lou Lamoriello might have no choice but to move him. Nelson’s big and strong, and most importantly, he can score. He’s tallied three consecutive 30-plus goal campaigns, and unsurprisingly, he’s on pace for 30 again this year.
JAKE EVANS – Montreal Canadiens
For starters, the 29-year-old, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, has a tidy cap hit of $1.7 million. For a cap team like the Leafs, that could prove to be a very beneficial acquisition. On a Cup contender like Toronto, Evans is probably better suited to be a fourth line centre. That said, he’s a very physical and speedy player, which as we’re all aware by now, is something that Craig Berube likes very much.
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