Toronto Maple Leafs general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas pulled off a blockbuster trade with the St Louis Blues to acquire Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari and word is he’s not done. According to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs continue to discuss trades and it’s very likely another deal is announced before the March 3 trade deadline.
One of the biggest elements of the Blues trade was the fact Dubas was able to get the Minnesota Wild to join in on the party and retain some of O’Reilly’s $7.5 million salary. Toronto only obtains a $1.8 million cap hit for the former Conn Smythe trophy winner. A steal of a deal is an understatement.
Cap Friendly indicates the Maple Leafs currently have $4.4 million in deadline cap space to work with. Goaltender Matt Murray is currently on long term injured reserve and will impact the finances ahead of the deadline once he is healthy. Regardless of the financial situation, Dubas continues to show off his creativity via the trade market and at this point anything is still possible when it comes to trade targets.
Maple Leafs Focus Likely on Winger and Defenseman
With O’Reilly and Acciari both having capabilities to impact the game down the middle, it’s likely Dubas shifts his focus to finding some help on the wing. Time will tell where O’Reilly plays but it’s very likely going to be as the team’s third-line center.
Given the amount of injuries Toronto has been through on their blue line and with some inconsistent play of what’s supposed to be some of the best defensemen, look for the Leafs GM to also try and land a top-four defenseman who can help balance out the pairings.
Related: 3 Maple Leafs Who Should Not Be Traded Ahead of 2023 Deadline
The Blues trade was one where Dubas sold the farm on draft pick capital as Toronto shipped out a first, second, third and fourth-round selection over the course of the next three drafts. Look for the next move to include someone off the roster and a prospect or two, as the team doesn’t have a ton of picks left to dangle ahead of the deadline.
Maple Leafs Likely Talking to Several Teams
Once the Blues came out of the gate struggling this season, I published an article suggesting a trade between the two clubs could transpire and mentioned O’Reilly as a prime candidate as he’s exactly what the Maple Leafs need to give themselves the best chance to make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With St Louis off the board, look for the Maple Leafs to be linked to several other basement-dwelling teams, including:
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are expected to make some big moves ahead of the deadline with Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson likely on the way out. The Leafs landing Meier now is a massive stretch, however the team could have interest in former Maple Leaf Alexander Barabanov. He’s a rugged winger who can bang and crash on the team’s third line and would be a nice upgrade over Pierre Engvall.
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Philadelphia Flyers
A deal with the Philadelphia Flyers would likely be very complicated but let’s face it, what in the Maple Leafs world isn’t. James van Riemsdyk and Scott Laughton remain potential trade candidates as the Flyers are going to sell before the deadline.
Nashville Predators
One player who would look great in Maple Leaf blue and white is Nashville Predators winger Tanner Jeannot. After scoring 24 goals last season, Jeannot has only scored five times in 52 games this season. Regardless, his bang and crash style, his offensive instincts and his work ethic make him a great fit in Toronto and at only $800,000 against the cap, this deal would be much easier to pull off for Dubas and the Maple Leafs. Preds’ defenseman Mattias Ekholm should be considered a long shot but has been linked to Toronto in the past.
Dubas has put the NHL on notice with his latest blockbuster as he’s 100% all in. There’s no doubt the Maple Leafs aren’t done and their next trade is likely going to look much different from the monster deal with the Blues. Dubas is operating as if his job depends on it because frankly, it does. Toronto’s GM continues to work the phones and Leafs Nation can expect to see another move announced before the March 3 trade deadline.
