With the NHL Trade Deadline less than a week away, I thought it would be cool to do a mini-series where I look at trade targets for the Toronto Maple Leafs in each of the four divisions. First up is the Metropolitan Division, a division that has been known to be a challenge; unfortunately, it has a few teams that are out of the race for a playoff spot and could be a potential trade partner for the Maple Leafs.
Related: Maple Leafs Reportedly Still Looking for Defence Help in a Trade
Teams like the Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have players that could interest the Maple Leafs. They are most likely hunting for a right-hand defenceman and a depth forward or two, in anticipation of a lengthy playoff run. This means that the two teams listed above may be ones that they look to for potential trade partners to improve their team down the stretch.
Nick Seeler – Philadelphia Flyers
Nick Seeler is almost the perfect trade target for the Maple Leafs; the only downside is that he is left-handed. Although he can play on the right side, he still has a left-handed stick, which puts the club in a tough situation because they have so many already. He does all the little things that teams love when the playoffs start. He can hit, block shots, and fight, which brings energy to the lineup. Especially for a Maple Leafs team that tends to fall flat when they are down in games or series. Seeler, along with Simon Benoit and Ryan Reaves, should be able to get their club and crowd back into games and ignite the flame to win games.
Seeler may not be the best option just based on handiness; however, the aspects that he can bring to a lineup are a must-have. He can kill penalties, play 12–15 minutes per game on the bottom pairing, and get pucks off of the glass and out. Which is exactly what you want from a depth defenceman in the playoffs. Adding Seeler to their defence core could help spread out the minutes and incorporate the depth a bit more, which allows them to make some lineup changes if things don’t go well or they just simply want a more physical presence on the blue line.
Jesse Puljujärvi – Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are in a unique situation this season; they went out this offseason with their new general manager (GM), Kyle Dubas, and acquired Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks. The hope was that he would have another 100-point season, but they were wrong. It hasn’t worked out the best overall for the player or the team, and now they are stuck with Karlsson’s contract and cap hit because the market just doesn’t seem to be there anymore. As a result of how the season has gone, they will be looking to sell off assets at the March 8 NHL Trade Deadline. Dubas may be unlikely to trade with his old team, but if he is willing, Brad Treliving should target Jesse Puljujärvi.
Related: Ilya Lyubushkin Is the Missing Piece the Maple Leafs Need
Puljujärvi returned from injury this season and signed a professional try-out with the Penguins, which resulted in a two-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $800,000. He hasn’t lived up to the hype that was surrounding him when he was with the Edmonton Oilers; however, he could still be a useful player. He can be put on a checking line for the Maple Leafs and could find success. He may not be one of the players that the Penguins are looking to sell; if they are, Treliving should check in and see the asking price. He could turn out to be a project player who can turn around his career with the Maple Leafs. The chance is there, especially with the extra year of term. He has the chance to play in the playoffs and then retune and potentially slide into a scoring role and score 20 goals. If he can do that, it could help the Maple Leafs with their salary cap issues next season because they could move a player who makes up to double Puljujärvi’s AAV and use him in that role.
Nick Jensen – Washington Capitals
Nick Jensen is a name that the Maple Leafs have expressed interest in over the past few weeks. Sportsnet’s and 32 Thoughts the Podcast Elliotte Friedman confirmed that they have him in their sights as the Capitals look to shake things up. Jensen could be a very good fit on Toronto’s blue line; he is a right-handed shot who is the Capitals’ best penalty killer. He would most likely be the best penalty killer on the Maple Leafs’ back end if they acquired him.
Jensen could be used in the same way as Justin Holl last season, but as a better shot blocker. He is fearless, will stand in front of any shot, and averages around 100 blocks per season. He can also throw the body and break up the cycle similar to that of Ilya Lyubushkin, which will be good when the pressure amps up in the playoffs. Unfortunately, if Jensen is traded to the Maple Leafs, it would mean someone on the current backend will be sitting in the press box, but that is what happens when a team is going all-in to bring home the Stanley Cup.
In the past, the Maple Leafs have made moves to help the club; it makes sense that’s what you would expect the GM to do. However, the moves that were made by the previous regime seemed to be for the best possible player available rather than the actual needs of the team, which made it very hard for the Maple Leafs to rally behind the moves and have success. Yes, they did it last season, but a second-round exit isn’t ideal during the prime years of the core. Treliving needs to look at the true needs of the organization for a long playoff run and make the necessary trades to get them there.