The NHL Trade deadline is less than a week away and for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s now crunch time to make a deal and push them forward in a competitive Atlantic Division. While you never want to make a knee-jerk reaction type of move, you need to add to be more of a threat. General manager Brad Treliving needs to be willing to go all-in like others have in the past.
With teams like the Florida Panthers already making their move to acquire Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks, Treliving and the Maple Leafs need to match that if they want to be competitive against the reigning Stanley Cup Champs. Which is why, at some point, the Maple Leafs need to part with more valuable assets like top prospects in order to win. Especially this season as everything is wide open for the taking.
Maple Leafs Should Start Moving Assets to Win
It’s always smart to hang onto your valuable draft capital and top prospects as they can be essential pieces for the future. Although, if they aren’t going to help you at this very moment, you might as well move those names and get a sizeable return or pieces that can help now. This includes the Maple Leafs’ top prospects in Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten and Ben Danford.
It’s been reported that if there’s any big deal to be made, the Maple Leafs will have to offer one of their top three prospects in order to do so. There are always risks to moving prospects at the deadline, namely for rental players. If there’s a quality player with term and has NHL experience, that is something to consider and acquire. Take the Panthers- Jones deal as an example. A big price to pay with a first-round pick, but one the Panthers can risk doing to still win.
Considering now is the perfect time to go all-in, the Maple Leafs can’t be afraid to move on from pieces that aren’t going to have an immediate impact in order to be competitive. Minten has shown glimpses of what he can do during his stints in the NHL this season, but is he able to elevate his play now? Probably not, as he’ll get pushed further down the depth chart come playoff time. He has shown that he can elevate his play during the postseason in the Western Hockey League, but it’s different at the pro level.
Cowan has dominated the Ontario Hockey League with 144 points the last two seasons and had a 65-game point streak come to an end. However, he’s still years away from joining the club. Teams would definitely want to try and get him from the Maple Leafs’ hands after they drafted him in 2023 and popped off after that. Seeing what he can do with his energy and tenacity, he would be at the centre of any major deal.
Related: Maple Leafs Finding Ways to Win Even When Outplayed
While Cowan has the upside and potential to be a key player for the Maple Leafs, he’s definitely years away from seeing the NHL. Getting assets right now when his value is high in a trade is definitely something that you have to consider. If you want to make a deep playoff run and get value and impact in return, you’re going to have to pay a big price. While big deals haven’t always panned out, considering one big move was made by a rival, you have to follow that up if the opportunity presents itself.
Maple Leafs Need to Take More Risks to Win
The 2023 deadline was one where the Maple Leafs took the risk to go all-in. They brought in Ryan O’Reilly, Jake McCabe and Luke Schenn and it was definitely worth taking that chance. It somewhat paid off as they won their first playoff round since 2004. They took a step forward, before taking a step back the following season as they made more depth moves last time around.
Considering they need major help up front with their secondary scoring and third pairing, there’s more of a need to take another risk in moving their top prospects for significant upgrades.
The Maple Leafs have a number of options at their disposal to make a significant splash at the deadline where they get a player that can be impactful. The team has been rumoured to be in on Brayden Schenn, who won the Stanley Cup with current Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. He’s a winner, plays that hard-nosed style the team wants in order to win. He’ll be a great fit, but his $6.5 million cap hit is a little steep. Is the price for a top prospect, like Minten or Cowan too high? Sure, but when you get a championship, that doesn’t matter.
Ryan Donato continues to be a top scorer for the Blackhawks with 21 goals and 43 points. His size and ability to find the middle of the ice is something the Maple Leafs need. Scott Laughton brings that edge that will complement the bottom-six and won’t require that overpayment. Do you make a run for a player like Brock Boeser or Dylan Cozens where giving up a top prospect seems more like a fair trade off? Either way, all these players could give significant gains for this team as they could bolster their current roster and depth.
Related: Maple Leafs Should Acquire Islanders’ Palmieri, Not Nelson
In a season where there’s a lot of uncertainty in the division, the Maple Leafs can’t miss this opportunity to vault themselves ahead of the competition. Even if it means giving up Cowan or Minten, chasing down and surpassing the Panthers is in their grasp. A tough decision, but one where they can’t second guess themselves. Especially if they want to be the team to beat in the Atlantic and in the Eastern Conference.
