As the NHL Trade Deadline looms, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to find the right balance between being buyres and making bad trades. At the end of January, Elliotte Friedman shed light on the Maple Leafs’ measured approach in an episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. The team, counting on GM Brad Treliving to do the right thing, appears hesitant to go all-in this season, opting for a cautious strategy.
Recently missing out on a chance to add Chris Tanev (he went to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday) the Leafs are actively exploring the trade market, particularly for defensive reinforcements. The intention seems to be improving the blue line but not making short-sighted moves for immediate gains. The Leafs have gone on a run of late and this current season offers a good opportunity for a deep playoff run. But, how much are they willing to sacrifice?
Maple Leafs Getting Calls On Assets They Don’t Want to Move
Toronto’s strategy revolves around filling holes but preserving key assets for the future. Friedman identified four primary assets drawing interest from other teams – Matthew Knies, Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and the Leafs’ first-round pick. Understandably, the team doesn’t want to part with any of them.
Particularly for short-term solutions, the Leafs have shown a reluctance to sacrifice assets they believe will be key to their success over the next few seasons. While only Knies is likely to contribute in a big way now, all are expected to be part of what makes this team good beyond their hopeful run in 2023-24.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Woll, Cowan, Hyman & Bertuzzi
There has to be a balance between making your team as strong as possible today, without backing yourself into a corner tomorrow.
Fraser Minten Might be the Most Likely Candidate
Joshua Kloke of The Athletic discussed chatter surrounding Fraser Minten, a top Leafs prospect. While trade rumors are out there, Minten remains focused on his long-term goals and understands the uncontrollable nature of trade decisions. He plans to make himself as valuable as possible and embrace opportunities, even if they come with a trade to another team.
He noted:
“There’s absolutely nothing I can do about it, so there’s no point in stressing about an uncontrollable like that. Before you’re an NHL player, the team can do whatever they want with you. I wouldn’t feel screwed over if I can provide value to the organization. Getting an opportunity elsewhere with a team that wants you is a good thing. Obviously you want to play for the team that drafted you, but if you get traded before you get to the NHL, I don’t think it’s the end of the world at all.”
source – ‘On the road with Fraser Minten: Lessons, trades and the path back to the Maple Leafs’ – Joshua Kloke – The Athletic – 02/29/2024
Does this mean the Leafs are looking to trade him? No. But, if they intend to take a big swing, they might have little choice. It’s going to cost something to get something of value and teams will ask about Minten over the next few days.
Matthew Knies is a Non-Starter
Friedman also discussed Knies’ contributions, highlighting the winger’s pivotal role in elevating the Maple Leafs’ top line. Since that podcast, Knies has started to showcase promising skills as part of the team’s top six. While accompanying that dynamic duo of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, he no longer seems like a mere passenger. Knies has significantly improved in creating his own offensive contributions, enhancing the overall potency of the entire group.
The Maple Leafs realize that Knies is the type of player that can have an impact on the post-season and he’s also the type of player, that if moved, could bite the Leafs immediately. It would take something incredible for him to be included in a deal. In short, he’s not being moved.
Easton Cowan Has Real Potential
Easton Cowan, another Leafs prospect, has extended his impressive point streak with the London Knights to 27 games. Sportsnet writes, “The 18-year-old forward holds the longest point streak by a Knight since the 1997-98 season, when the league first started recording scoring streak statistics.”
It might be some time before he’s making a sizeable impact on the Leafs roster, but the expectation is that he will do so eventually. Understandably, the Leafs are avoiding having trade conversations that involve him. If they’re to consider it, the trade deadline get needs to be impressive.
The Maple Leafs’ First-Round Pick
Of course, Toronto would prefer not to move their first-round pick. They elected not to do so this week, despite how much they coveted Tanev. Expect that trend to continue over the next eight days. The team has given up that pick on too many occasions. At some point, the cycle needs to stop.
The Maple Leafs find themselves at a crossroads as the trade deadline approaches, grappling with the challenge of balancing immediate needs with the team’s long-term competitiveness. Teams that are talking to Toronto are asking about the same assets. Unfortunately, these are players Toronto is hesitant to move. Does that mean nothing gets done? It could mean nothing big does.
