With the NHL Trade Deadline just days away, I’ve prepared a mini-series where I look at trade targets for the Toronto Maple Leafs in each of the four divisions. Next up is the Central Division, a division that could have some serious sleepers for Stanley Cup winners. The Central doesn’t have too many teams that are out of the playoff race; however, the teams that are out of the playoffs could be trade partners for the Maple Leafs.
Related: Maple Leafs Should Deal Their 1st-Round Pick with Caution
Teams like the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, and Arizona Coyotes all have players that could interest the Maple Leafs, who are most likely in the hunt for a right-hand defenceman as well as a depth forward or two in anticipation of a lengthy playoff run. This division may be the one that Toronto targets the most – there are so many options for general manager Brad Treliving to be excited about. Unfortunately, there may be too many names, so we will talk about three options that address their roster needs.
Alexey Toropchenko – St. Louis Blues
Alexey Toropchenko is probably the one player who fits the needs of the Maple Leafs the most but isn’t a defenceman. He could be a near-perfect addition to their bottom six alongside Calle Jarnkrok and John Tavares or even on the last line with David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg. Adding a player who can excel on the forecheck and has a ton of energy may push Ryan Reaves down to the 13th forward; however, that only makes the team deeper. In a physically demanding series, Reaves would most likely check into the lineup fairly often because of his role on the team. But if the series is speed-based, then Toropchenko could fit in very well.
Toropchenko has the skill to play up the lineup as well – he plays a hard game that can be used on other lines throughout the postseason. He could be this year’s Alex Kerfoot or even the new Jarnkrok, who is used in every situation by head coach Sheldon Keefe because he earns the coach’s trust. Toropchenko also has an edge to his game; this season, he has 109 hits in 60 games. He is the ideal forward for the Maple Leafs to pursue if he is made available.
Zach Bogosian – Minnesota Wild
Recently, Chris Johnston of the Chris Johnston Show and TSN mentioned that Zach Bogosian could be a depth defenceman option for the Maple Leafs. It makes a ton of sense; he is a right-handed shot, which is a need, and the organization is familiar with him from his time with the club in 2020–21. After that season, he left to rejoin the Tampa Bay Lightning and signed a three-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $825,000. He is now in the final year of that contract.
Related: Maple Leafs & Coyotes Have the Pieces to Make a Deadline Deal
Bogosian could be a good and affordable depth acquisition for the Maple Leafs; he isn’t expected to play every night in the postseason, but when he is in the lineup, he plays hard. Again, this is what you want from a depth player in the playoffs. He also has a defensive defenceman’s tool bag; he hits, blocks shots, and kills penalties. He can drop the gloves if needed, but he doesn’t always do it and isn’t going to eat a lot of minutes per night; however, he will give you his best 10–12 minutes. If he is asked to do more, he will, but he won’t expect it or play above his means.
Lawson Crouse – Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes still have a handful of players that could be moved, some of whom are purely depth options, like Liam O’Brien, but others would be top-nine players on most NHL rosters, like Lawson Crouse. While it is unlikely that he will be traded, weirder things have happened, and you wouldn’t be a good NHL GM if you didn’t do your due diligence.
Treliving probably called Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong about Crouse, and for all we know, the trade talks could be ongoing. Nevertheless, Crouse would be a great fit in blue and white; he plays a big game and can score. The Maple Leafs could use that in their top six all day. Adding Crouse would also cause a ripple effect within the lineup, which could end up helping the club in the long run.
If Treliving can bring him to Toronto, he would slot in on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner or on the second line with William Nylander and Tyler Bertuzzi. This means Nylander would become their second-line center, and Max Domi would shift down to the third line to join Tavares and Jarnkrok as another scoring line. This would allow the Maple Leafs to be deeper down the middle and allow Tavares to play the wing with Domi on his line.
That’s not to say that Tavares can’t take face-offs because he can; it just means Domi would be the center with the play ongoing, which would help the defence a bit more because of his speed. This could be a pricey move, but it would be worth it as it only strengthens their lineup for the playoffs.
I mentioned this before: there are so many other players from this division that could be trade targets. Matt Dumba has been linked to the Maple Leafs, as a right-handed shooting defenceman. Kerfoot could also be available from the Coyotes or even Colin Blackwell from the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom the Maple Leafs are familiar. All in all, Treliving is going to be a busy man this week, working the phones to improve his hockey club. We just hope he doesn’t buy high on a player and sell a high-priced asset as a return.
