Insider Pierre LeBrun Shuts Down Potential Trade Target For the Maple Leafs
NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun poured some ice cold water on trade rumors involving a shutdown defenseman who would have been perfect for the Maple Leafs.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs suffering another embarrassing loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, it seems apparent that Jake McCabe's absence is sorely hurting the Maple Leafs.
Their defense has been anything but the brick wall that occupied the majority of the season and the team looks lost and out of position, causing them to get pounded on the scoresheet.
So with their defense needing an overhaul, one name they could look to acquire is Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who would provide a fantastic bit of shutdown defense sure to help the team.
Pierre LeBrun Shuts Down Rasmus Andersson Trade Rumors
On TSN's Insider Trading segment on Tuesday night, LeBrun decided to pour ice-cold water over any potential rumors involving Andersson:
The Flames are looking to actually potentially extend Andersson's contract this summer."
It's an unfortunate bit of trade potential spoiled for the Maple Leafs as the stonewall Andersson would have added much needed help, especially on Morgan Rielly's pair.
This season Andersson has six goals and 12 assists for the Flames, while adding an astounding 105 blocks.
He is making $4.55M for this season and the next, and would have been a fairly cheap option especially given Toronto has the assets and Brad Treliving's history with the team.
The Maple Leafs' defense over the past week has been atrocious, being outscored 13-4, a combined minus-15, and has zero offensive production over those three losses, literally; zero points from every defenseman.
Something needs to change and while Jake McCabe was surely a strong part of this defense, he can't be the only one to do things especially with veterans like Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and especially Morgan Rielly.
Toronto will need him back as soon as possible because if they keep playing the way they are, it's going to be a miserable second half of the season.
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