NHL Analyst Urges the Maple Leafs to Trade for Montreal Canadiens Center
The Toronto Maple Leafs need to add some third line firepower desperately, and one NHL Analyst believes a local hometown face could be the perfect solution.
With another brutal and embarrassing loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs' scoring woes are getting to a worrying point. No one has any firepower, the superstars are slacking, and their powerplay has been pretty awful for the majority of the season.
Brad Treliving needs to make a deal for some type of improvement whether it be on the wing or more importantly, down the middle.
He has a pick of the litter when it comes to potential options, it's just a matter of money and if they are the right fit for the roster.
One NHL Analyst though has an idea of who he believes would be the perfect fit, and he happens to be a Toronto-born breakout star.
Jake Evans Named As Potential Third Line Hero By NHL Analyst
Growing up in Etobicoke, Evans would find himself right at ease if Toronto were able to acquire their rival's breakout center.
That's why NHL Analyst Nick Alberga believes that Evans would be the perfect fit for the Maple Leafs' scoring woes.
It's not hard to see why he's a great fit either. While a bit undersized compared to the players that Craig Berube and Brad Treliving typically employ, there's no denying he would make an impact.
He wins faceoffs, plays solid defense, throws hits, blocks some shots, and is just in the midst of his prime.
This season with Montreal, Evans has 10 goals and 13 assists in 42 games and would be a perfect fit for Toronto's third line.
It would also reunite him with former teammate Max Domi, whom he played in his rookie season with in 2019-2020.
Coincidentally, Domi is on Toronto's third line, so adding Evans with him and the emerging Bobby McMann could create some fantastic chemistry and help alleviate the pressure on their top stars.
He's cheap too, only making $1.7M this season and is a free agent. While Montreal would like to re-sign him, Toronto should be hard-pressed to present a solid offer to pick him up, and it's not going to cost much to do it.
The only issue is will Kent Hughes and Brad Treliving put over 100 years of animosity aside to make a deal. Only time will tell, but history will remind us that while rare, stranger things have happened.
