Strong Trade Partner Emerges For Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs Ahead of the Deadline
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be buyers ahead of or on trade deadline day, and they could find all they need by taking advantage of a selling team.
With the March 7 trade deadline quickly approaching, Brad Treliving is working hard to figure out who best fits his roster as the Maple Leafs look to make a deep playoff push in a wide open playoff race.
But if they wanted to shore up their holes in their lineup, they could look west to the Seattle Kraken as a new report indicates the team has a trade block that is quickly gaining a lot of bodies.
It seems that the Seattle Kraken have a bunch of players on the block, so would any of them fit on the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs Could Add Important Pieces In Trade With Seattle Kraken
According to the report by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Kraken have several names available due to either pending free agency, or looking for a change in roster makeup:
While their names are circulating around the trade market, several others with term remaining on their deals are also believed to be in play.
Up front, forwards Jared McCann, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jaden Schwartz and Andre Burakovsky have been discussed with other teams, as has defenceman Jamie Oleksiak.
Teams are calling, as Francis is believed to be listening.
Toronto could use one if not several of those players to boost their chances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Brandon Tanev would add offense, defense, shot-blocking, and create a really intriguing story playing with his brother Chris.
Yanni Gourde would help their third line center woes even though he's dealing with injuries (a sore spot for Toronto).
So would Schwartz, although he doesn't offer the same type of defense and grit that Gourde brings.
McCann, Bjorkstrand and to an extent Burakovsky can add some much needed firepower to Toronto's stagnant bottom line offense, and they wouldn't cost as much as a Brayden Schenn or Brock Nelson.
Pagnotta believes however that Tanev and McCann present the likeliest options for a trade given both Tanev's pending UFA status and McCann's budget-friendly deal:
Both him and Tanev may be the likeliest suspects to go. (Gourde's) out there. They've got a lot of other assets that they're willing to listen on. Seattle could be a very busy club between now and March 7th.
Toronto is also going to be a very busy club over the next few weeks, and with a lot of questions surrounding their potential trade moves, and what the roster will look like come playoff time; it's an exciting time.
But if the Maple Leafs want to make a big splash this trade deadline maybe they'll have to dive into the waters and face the Kraken.
