Pressure Quickly Rising for the Maple Leafs to Make a Trade: NHL Analysts Label Them as Aggressive Buyers
The newest power rankings by The Athletic have the Maple Leafs as aggressive buyers at the deadline as pressure mounts for playoff success.
With only one playoff series win in the last 20 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of weight on their shoulders as they try to bring the city its first Stanley Cup since 1967.
If they want to do that, they need to find some depth and according to a new ranking put out by The Athletic: Toronto is expected to be uber-aggressive.
What Do Toronto Need For A Deep Playoff Run?
Well they ideally would like to get some scoring, although Brad Treliving is focused elsewhere, and the main thing Toronto needs is a third-line center who can drive that line offensively and provide enough defensively to appease Treliving and head coach Craig Berube.
The depth of the roster has increased immensely since last year. Toronto added a ton of minor depth pieces in case of emergency, shored up their defensive holes and added the league's best backup. So far, the main goal scorers for Toronto are William Nylander, John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Mitch Marner.
Sure, those are all great players but when those players are sitting on the bench after their shifts, Toronto needs someone they can rely on to score goals and shut down the opposition until the bigger stars come back on. Names like Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, and Ryan O'Reilly have been bandied around, but they could be too expensive.
Toronto has had little to no production from their bottom six centers, with David Kampf and Max Domi combining for 9 points, and while Fraser Minten has come in and done a great job so far; he's still only a handful of games into his NHL career and needs more seasoning.
Toronto being aggressive buyers means that for some players, it's the end of the line. No doubt Nick Robertson will be playing elsewhere this season, there's a chance Pontus Holmberg finds himself on the outs, and Toronto might do something crazy and trade one of their goalies for an elite center.
The Maple Leafs can't afford to have another disappointing playoff exit and the importance of adding depth is crucial for any team's success.
Brad Treliving needs to act while he has the pieces available before he misses out on adding the right piece.
Which means pressure on management to ensure the roster is as strong as possible.
FAQ: The Athletic Names Toronto As Aggressive Buyers At Deadline
Q1: Why did The Athletic name Toronto as aggressive buyers?
A1: It's due to Toronto's need for a deep playoff push and their need to add depth to their forward position.
A third-line center is the main piece Toronto can add to help themselves in the future.
Q2: Who are some names Toronto could target?
A2: Toronto can target several names, although three names that have come up are Brock Nelson (NYI), Yanni Gourde (SEA) and Ryan O'Reilly (NSH).
In closing, the Maple Leafs have to make a move in order to secure a deep playoff run.
It's been too long since they've seen success and if any team can do it, it's this season's team. But they're missing the final piece to their playoff puzzle.
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