Maple Leafs Prime Trade Assets Revealed Ahead of NHL Trade Deadline
NHL Insider Darren Dreger revealed the Toronto Maple Leafs' best assets they can use in order to acquire a top level player in the latest Insider Trading segment.
With the trade deadline just a little over a week away from what's sure to be a frantic and frenetic day filled with lots of blockbuster deals, it's crunch time for teams to figure out who they can afford to get rid of to make things happen.
For the Maple Leafs, it's figuring out if they want to push all-in and trade their top prospects, or play it safe with smaller deals. If they decide to go for broke, NHL Insider Darren Dreger believes their best chance is to bite the bullet.
Toronto's Top Trade Assets per Darren Dreger
Dreger names Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, Ben Danford, and Nikita Grebenkin as the four best assets Toronto can use ahead of or on trade deadline day, and they all offer different returns.
If the team were to get rid of Cowan, he would fetch the best return given he oozes with potential and could be a game-changer in a few years. But it means Toronto loses out on a potential star, and a homegrown one at that.
He's also a bit of a wild card, as he's very, very good but he hasn't played at the NHL level yet and it's unknown if his skills will fully translate to the bigs, or if it'll take a bit for him to settle in.
If teams were looking to add an NHL-level ready prospect, they perhaps they'll ask for Fraser Minten.
Already up for a 15-game spell with the Maple Leafs this season, he's shown he can hang in the bottom half of the lineup, and with some time could be a solid 2C option down the line.
But he wouldn't get you a return the likes of Brayden Schenn or Brock Nelson, and he may be better suited for a mid-tier return like Jared McCann.
Danford is Toronto's most recent pick, and though they traded down for him; there's a lot to be excited about.
Not a flashy offensive stud, he relies more on sound defensive IQ, good positioning, and plays a grittier game and will gladly block shots and throw hits.
But he's not going to be an elite top pairing defenseman (at least, he's not projected to be) and if Toronto is able to sell on his hype to a rebuilding team who can use another top body in their farm system; it could be a worthy deal.
Grebenkin would probably fetch the least in terms of a return, and Toronto might want to keep hold of him given not only his two-way potential, but that he's already so beloved by Leafs faithful.
Also earning a short call-up this season, Grebenkin hasn't done much offensively but played hard in his short time with the club, and he has pro experience in the KHL, so he can play with the bigger boys.
But he's also a raw prospect and we don't exactly know everything he has to offer, and while he could be serviceable in the future; the time is now to win.
If Toronto is going to get a deal done for a premium player they are going to need to suck it up and trade either Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan.
But if they are able to package a few of their other prospects and picks for the names they need: It could give the Maple Leafs the best of both worlds.
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