On a recent segment of TSN’s Insider Trading, it looks as if the Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be heading in a selling direction. Chris Johnston reported that there are no untouchable players, except for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins look to be acquiring picks and young players and it’s a situation where the Toronto Maple Leafs could make themselves available as a trading partner.
There are plenty of names on the Penguins that could be beneficial to the Maple Leafs in the hunt for a playoff spot. Especially since they’re in the market for some secondary scoring help that can be complimentary pieces on the second or third line. If the Maple Leafs want to pony up, they would need to part with their first-round pick and possibly some of their top prospects if they need to. Should the Penguins decide to be sellers, the Maple Leafs should be calling immediately on a few names that standout.
Rickard Rakell
Rickard Rakell checks off a lot of the boxes that the Maple Leafs need in a top-six forward. He can play either the left or right side– giving head coach Craig Berube plenty of options–, has great speed to keep up with the young star players, has a heavy shot and can play with an edge in the tough areas on the ice.
Offensively, Rakell has been one of the better point producers on the Penguins as he’s second in in points with 40, behind only Crosby, and first in goals with 23. With a minimum of 200 minutes played on the team, Rakell has the third best expected goals for percentage with 54.79 at five-on-five and is eighth in high danger chances for percentage with 53.77. In a season where things have gone wrong for the Penguins, he has been a pleasant surprise offensively. He’s currently on-pace to surpass both his goal and point totals from 2022-23 where he had 28 goals and 60 points.
Rakell has always shown to be an effective power forward in the league with his size and strength. He shows the ability to block shots and provide a physical element. While the Maple Leafs are looking to add a centre with term, getting a winger with term that can provide some strong secondary scoring shouldn’t be out of the question.
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Rakell is under contract for three more seasons after this one at a reasonable cap hit of $5 million. While it’s tough to acquire him now as there would need to be contracts out for a contract in, plus picks and prospects that the Penguins would want. Getting a dangerous scorer like Rakell would be worth the price to acquire in a deal as a top-six forward. Seeing as the cap will be going up, it’s something to consider as he’s a name that I feel they should pursue for some time.
Drew O’Connor
Last season, Drew O’Connor had a strong breakout season, with 16 goals and 33 points. This season, like many others on the Penguins, he has taken a step back as he has six goals and 16 points. Though, the offensive potential and production still remains in his game as he’s a name that has been in the rumour mill for some time.
O’Connor would be an ideal fit as a depth scoring, shut-down power forward at only $925,000, something that is very enticing for a team like the Maple Leafs. This seems more like an affordable option for the Maple Leafs if they choose to go this direction. He’s got great speed in transition, uses his size well and is heavy on the puck in board battles and in the open ice. He can be a fixture on the penalty kill, as it’s something that has been a strength for the Maple Leafs this season.
While he may be in the bottom part of the lineup, O’Connor can still be a very impactful player as he plays the game that Berube would like. He provides energy, intensity and the drive to do his part every shift.
Maple Leafs Would be Deeper Up Front
Needless to say, the addition of either Rakell or O’Connor would instantly make the Maple Leafs deeper and more tenacious to play against. Both forwards can bring the offense and impactful play while also being tough to go up against.
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The Maple Leafs would have the assets to go after both players, however, for Rakell it might be more difficult, despite the great value he has with his contract. A lot would need to happen for this to go down. Going the safe route with O’Connor wouldn’t be a bad thing either as he has shown to put the puck in the back of the net in a depth role. Both players would instantly fit right into the team’s system as they play a heavy, offensive game especially when on the forecheck.
Whatever the Penguins decide to do, the Maple Leafs should be calling right away.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and NHL.
