The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a very unique situation this season. They are right in the hunt for a playoff spot, but unlike last year, they will have to put in more effort to get there. This past offseason, they lost some key pieces to the team that had a lasting effect on the group’s morale. We in the sports world like to call them “glue guys,” but one that comes to mind that left was Alex Kerfoot. He was one of those players who, although he didn’t contribute a ton on the score sheet, was loved in the room. Sometimes this can impact a team’s morale a ton, which has been evident this season.
Maple Leafs general manager (GM) Brad Treliving attempted to make the 2023-24 version of the team more physical, even saying they wanted to add more “snot” to the lineup. As a result, the lack of secondary scoring has been noticeable. They will need to either get the secondary scoring going, like Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi or make a few moves to bring in players that can provide the team with scoring. Unfortunately, the organizational cupboards aren’t as full as a few years ago. This means that Treliving has to try and get as creative as possible to make a deal to help improve his squad.
If you look at The Hockey Writers‘ 2024 trade bait list ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, you’ll see 25 players who should be made available by their respective clubs. This list includes a few names that the Maple Leafs should target to help improve their secondary scoring.
Anthony Duclair, San Jose Sharks
Anthony Duclair could be a very good secondary scoring option for the Maple Leafs. He could slide in on the John Tavares and William Nylander line or the Domi and Calle Jarnkrok line. He would bring speed to the lineup as well as scoring, which would allow the club to push someone down the lineup, in turn making them deeper. He and Domi have some familiarity from their time with the Arizona Coyotes, where they were both drafted, which could make it interesting to see what they can do together several years later. Duclair isn’t going to give you more than 40 points in a season on average; he may be able to get to that 50-point mark, but it’ll depend on who he is playing with. On this Maple Leafs team, he will be used as a secondary scoring option and won’t see a lot of powerplay time.
As a result, he will most likely double his current point total of 16 goals and eight assists, but he won’t give the club much more than that. Unless he finds another level with the Maple Leafs and gets put on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, this could increase his point total faster, as he is on the team’s top-scoring line. He has a very good shot and can see the ice well; he just needs the right trio to be a part of, and he could unlock another level to his game similar to his time with the Florida Panthers.
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Duclair is going to be a fascinating player come the trade deadline. He had a very good season with the Panthers and now is on a San Jose Sharks team that is struggling. He carries a very favourable cap hit of just $3 million for the remainder of the season, which will make him a very attractive rental option for many teams. The Maple Leafs’ challenge is to not be outbid by other contending teams because they lack a lot of draft compensation, such as first- or second-round picks. Yes, they do have this year’s first, but it doesn’t seem like Treliving will want to move that unless the deal is too good to pass up on.
If they want Duclair, they will need to be creative and potentially offer Alex Steeves and a 2026 third-round pick. The reason for this trade is he is one of the best players on the Sharks and although he hasn’t been great this season, GM Mike Grier isn’t going to let him walk for free. Steeves has NHL potential, especially on this Sharks team that could use more forward depth after the trade deadline when they sell off their top players for draft capital.
Boone Jenner, Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner would be a very interesting choice for a secondary scoring option. His role on the team could be similar to Ryan O’Reilly’s last season. He could slot into the third-line center spot, which could push Domi to the wing. He and Domi could switch back and forth between wing and center, depending on comfortability in the faceoff circle. Jenner is also known to bring a bit of grit to the lineup. As the captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, he knows the leadership role fairly well. He would be another veteran in the lineup who knows their spot and won’t be selfish. Jenner could also be used in the top six on a line with Nylander and Tavares, which would probably push Tyler Bertuzzi down to the third line to make that more of a checking line with Domi and Jarnkrok.
Jenner seems to be having a down year this season; he has 13 goals and five assists for 18 points. Typically, he can account for 45-50 points a year, which definitely would strengthen the Maple Leafs’ secondary scoring. Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets have had a difficult season, which might contribute to his lack of production. However, if he is dealt at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline to a contender, he may find another level and improve his offensive production.
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In terms of cost, Jenner may be a bit more expensive than Duclair. The reason is that he is the captain of the Blue Jackets and has two more years remaining on his deal at $3.75 million. The Maple Leafs may need to sell a roster player or two to make this deal work; however, they could also use a few names from the American Hockey League (AHL). THW’s own William Espy, Nicholas Arnold and Mark Scheig who cover the Blue Jackets closely, mentioned to me that since Jenner isn’t a rental and is signed for the next two seasons at $3.75 million, the trade package should be significant. The deal that I would propose to the Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekäläinen is Nick Robertson, Roni Hirvonen, a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick. The reason behind this proposal is that he has two seasons left under contract at a low cap hit. It may take a bit to acquire him, but it would be worth it.
If Treliving could swing the deal, it would also be nice if Justin Danforth was included to make the package similar to the O’Reilly and Noel Acciari trade from last season, but that would cost a bit more.
All in all, Treliving will need to get as creative as possible to improve the Maple Leafs this season. He most likely won’t want to sell off Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, or Matthew Knies, which will make things more difficult. He also doesn’t need to target the top available players on the market because his top players are producing at a high rate this season. This should make it a bit easier to acquire secondary scoring, which may be their biggest need besides defence.
