According to Elliotte Friedman’s 32 Thoughts column on Friday, St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong has made it clear it’s a high price to acquire captain Brayden Schenn. As the Blues take calls, Friedman wrote, “I do think Toronto is weighing it, among others.” However, a recent post by Andy Strickland suggests the Maple Leafs may have pivoted.
The Maple Leafs Bow Out of Running for Schenn
Strickland is well-connected as a beat reporter for the Blues, and on Friday, he posted on X.com:
“Toronto has the pieces to make a deal for Brayden Schenn but as of now haven’t put a package together to make it work. Told, at this point, a deal with the Maple Leafs is unlikely. Could change, but as of now doubtful.”
Related: 4 Reasons the Maple Leafs Must Go All-In at the NHL Trade Deadline
Whether the price was too high, the Leafs weren’t confident enough, or other plans fell through (like trying to acquire Luke Schenn), it sounds like they will keep their options open and go in another direction. Schenn would have been a solid addition for Toronto, but their reluctance to go all in on the veteran makes sense.
Brayden Schenn Was No Guarantee
When you factor in Schenn’s age, his dropping production, and the cost associated with his contract, this was hardly a slam-dunk deal for anyone looking at him at the deadline. Schenn has a lot of positive attributes—including Stanley Cup experience, physicality, leadership, and skill—but he’s getting older and slower. He is on pace for 16 goals, which is down from 20 last season. That is down from 21 the season before that and 24 (in 62 games) the season before that.
His $6.5 million cap hit was also a potential hurdle. The Blues weren’t about to retain salary in the trade, and they wanted a big haul in return if they were to move him. The Maple Leafs were going to pay full price for a player who could help but was locked into a sizeable contract for the next three seasons. They have other contracts to deal with this summer in Mitch Marner and John Tavares. That’s not to suggest it wouldn’t have worked, but it was risky.
The Blues were rumored to have Schenn available, but the underlying feeling was that it seemed unlikely they would move him. He has roots in St. Louis and a young family, and he would have needed a real incentive to waive his no-trade to move on.
What Now for the Maple Leafs?
With Schenn potentially off their radar, there are plenty of options still available. The Leafs might be waiting for Mikko Rantanen‘s status to become clearer. It is believed the Carolina Hurricanes will get some indication as to whether he’ll be open to re-signing in the next few days.
Alternatively, the Leafs could look at less expensive rentals. That could include Brock Nelson (Islanders), Scott Laughton (Flyers), Jake Evans (Canadiens), Yanni Gourde (Kraken), or Trent Frederic (Bruins). All are rumored to be available, and all are likely to cost less in trade to acquire.
With a week remaining until the NHL trade deadline, speculation is everywhere, but the picture is starting to become a bit clearer. As names like Schenn come off the table, the list is being widdled down, and the Maple Leafs will be in a position to make a decision. Expect Toronto to be active but also pragmatic. It’s a wise decision, and if Schenn was going to cost an arm and a leg to trade for, it was probably best the Maple Leafs chose to back away.