Elliotte Friedman Confirms Maple Leafs Have a Strong Chance of Trading Defenseman

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Chris Gerics
November 1, 2024 (6:55 PM)

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NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has confirmed that the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to trade recently acquired defenseman Matt Benning.

With the Timothy Liljegren experiment over in Toronto with the disgruntled defenseman being shipped off to the San Jose Sharks, it signaled a new chapter for both Liljegren and the Maple Leafs.

Coming to Toronto was defenseman Matt Benning, a third-pairing solid defender who could be a good insurance policy for Brad Treliving and Craig Berube.

But with speculation that the Maple Leafs could flip Benning for either draft capital or cap space, questions arise whether or not Benning will don the blue and white.

NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman doesn't think he will, as he confirmed the team is entertaining calls for their newly acquired blueliner:

"I think it is very possible that the Leafs will try and flip (Matt) Benning"

It's a definite possibility that Benning doesn't stick around, as Toronto already has a bevy of defensemen, and with Jani Hakanpaa's return imminent, it's hard for Benning to find room. If Toronto is able to find a buyer then recouping anything for the 30-year-old shouldn't be too hard. While he won't fetch the best return, the dump of cap space and potential for a mid-tier prospect or draft pick should not be overlooked.

Toronto's defense is basically locked for the time being, with their Top-4 secured for the next half a decade. It only leaves two spots for the time being, and at least for this season, it would be hard for Benning to find minutes with Simon Benoit, Conor Timmins, and Jani Hakanpaa all fighting for the last two spots. Hakanpaa will no doubt get a lot of attention once he's on the ice, and if he can perform like history has shown, there's no way Toronto is taking him out so there's one spot left.

So with no spot for Benning and the Maple Leafs desperately needing to recoup either draft picks or money, it makes the most sense to part with Benning. Don't be surprised if we hear of another trade in the coming days, whether it's Benning or any of the prospective candidates.