The Toronto Maple Leafs would love to end their championship drought and make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1967. One of the ways they proved their willingness to do that is by bringing in some much-needed depth between the pipes in Anthony Stolarz, as well as on their blue line with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Chris Tanev.
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While they have played well this season, it seems as though they may not be done bringing in players just yet, as recent reports indicate they would like to add a centre at or before the 2025 Trade Deadline. While there are plenty of options for a centre, another recent report indicates they would prefer to add one with term left on his contract, rather than a rental.
In theory, the report doesn’t mean they will add someone with term and could still look to add a rental, but they have a preference. Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Maple Leafs prefer to add a centre who isn’t a rental, but they’re open to pivoting if the fit seems right for a playoff run. Friedman explains:
“I think that’s the number one thing that he’s been looking for all season…aside from the injuries, I think they’re pretty comfortable in goal… Stolarz and Woll, knock on wood they can stay healthy, I think they’re going to be okay with that.”
The Maple Leafs could look at players like Morgan Frost and Jake Evans who are on expiring deals, but if they decide to go down the route of acquiring a player who has some term left on his deal, it may be a bit tougher of a deal to manage. They have to re-sign both Mitchell Marner and John Tavares as they both have contracts that expire after the 2024-25 season, so they would have to bring someone in who isn’t getting paid a hefty salary, which slims down their options heavily.
What Options Could Be Available?
When it comes to what options could be available in terms of a centre with term left, the options aren’t too enticing. They could look to take advantage of the Vancouver Canucks’ reported issues between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson and see what the asking price is for Miller considering his offensive production is an exciting asset, but his $8 million cap hit makes him someone they probably wouldn’t consider bringing in.
A more affordable option could be Montreal Canadiens’ centre Kirby Dach, who is extended through the 2025-26 season with a $3.36 million cap hit, but the Canadiens are just two points out of a playoff spot and could consider sticking with their team in hopes of sneaking into the postseason. Dach, who is 23 years old, has scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points through 39 games with the Habs this season.
Another enticing option could be Buffalo Sabres’ centre Dylan Cozens who is extended through the 2029-30 season with a $7.1 million cap hit, but he might be just too expensive for the Maple Leafs’ liking unless the asking price is something they shouldn’t turn down and is too good to turn down.
At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs will likely make a move at or before the 2025 Trade Deadline and whether it is for someone with term or if it’s a rental, they would benefit from bolstering their bottom-six forward group as they hope to make a deep run and win a Stanley Cup, ending their drought of over 50 years.
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