Toronto Maple Leafs Considering Top Scorer To Strengthen Their Center Depth, Per NHL Analyst
Sportsnet's Luke Fox believes that top scorer Mikael Granlund is the answer to Toronto's center and scoring depth.
It's no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs are lacking down the middle and desperately need scoring help from their bottom six, and that was before all of their injuries.
Brad Treliving has been kicking tires at a potential Nazem Kadri acquisition, though that might come at too high of a cost.
He could turn his attention to names like Nick Bjugstad or Brock Nelson, but they are too expensive as a rental piece.
If you were to ask Luke Fox; reporter for Sportsnet and Maple Leafs insider, he would rattle off about half a dozen names.
However, within that list is one name that sticks out as a cheaper option that has the potential to make a huge impact.
Who is Fox referring to? San Jose's Mikael Granlund.
Who Is Mikael Granlund?
Drafted by Minnesota in 2010 (9th overall), Granlund built a cult following with the Wild and was one of their most consistent players.
This season he's been on fire, scoring 24 points in 22 games, and has been one of the lone bright spots on a struggling San Jose team.
Throughout his 13-year NHL career, Granlund has been a fairly unknown name around the league, but still produced at a very good rate averaging 16 goals and 55 points over that span and currently sits at 568 points in 841 games.
Known for being good at faceoffs, a great penalty killer, and extremely disciplined (something Toronto needs help with) in addition to his offensive production, it's surprising Granlund isn't brought up more in conversation.
Granlund also won a bronze with Finland in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, as well as two gold medals in the IIHF World Championships in 2011 and 2022.
He was most notably known for his 'Michigan' goal against Russia in 2011, and became a cult hero in his native land.
How Does Mikael Granlund Impact The Maple Leafs?
Mikael Granlund gives the Toronto Maple Leafs an instant offensive boost, because of his consistency over the past several years. It's an X-Factor Toronto has been missing, and though they've found success at certain times, it's a flash in the pan (case in point, Nick Robertson)
He's a special teams monster, playing both the powerplay and penalty kill. He would add another dimension to Toronto's powerplay and give them yet another weapon to their suddenly potent arsenal.
Adding Mikael Granlund wouldn't be too expensive, and Toronto has already made one deal with the Sharks earlier, so why not another?
He costs $5M although Toronto would be able to get that sorted out by dumping David Kampf to San Jose and kindly ask for 50% salary retention.
Mkael Granlund in the middle in Toronto adds essentially a second-line center on their third line.
He can control the offense and he is an elite playmaker who could find chemistry with players like Bobby McMann and help him reach an even higher level of production.
Two potential lines with Granlund could look something like this:
Pacioretty -- Granlund -- McMann
Domi -- Granlund -- Lorentz
The first line gives the Finnish forward two bigger bodies on his wing to protect his smaller size, and both McMann and Pacioretty are scoring threats.
Mikael Granlund also makes that line a 2B for Toronto if they want to stick with Tavares on the second line already.
The second gives Toronto a more defensive approach with Granlund and Lorentz but gives him some offensive help; though Max Domi hasn't done much.
Perhaps Granlund can be the one who can spark Domi before he ends up on the bench.
FAQ: Maple Leafs Considering Mikael Granlund As A Trade Target
Q1: Why does Toronto want Mikael Granlund for their team?
A1: Toronto wants to add Mikael Granlund to their team to add more offense to their bottom six, and give themselves another top producer on both the powerplay and penalty kill.
He comes at a fairly cheap price, and the potential to help Toronto in the playoffs should make him a prime target for any team.
Q2: What are Mikael Granlund's strengths as a player?
A2: Mikael Granlund's strength lies in his consistency, his ability to play special teams at an elite level, win faceoffs, and provide any team with great supplemental offense enough skill to carry any weaker offensive players.
His playmaking, puck control and discipline are all key factors in what makes him one of the better players in the league.
Q3: What does Toronto need to trade to acquire Mikael Granlund?
A3: Toronto needs to trade one of their bloated contracts, and David Kampf's is the perfect candidate.
He's younger, offers team control, and is a fairly cheap bottom-six option that provides good defense at the cost of a lack of offensive production.
Toronto also needs San Jose to be able to take on some of Granlund's salary as well in order for it to work, but there's a high potential they can work through that.
In closing, Mikael Granlund is a cheaper option than others available on the market, he adds offense to a struggling bottom six and would give Toronto another weapon for their special teams units.
Toronto also needs to get rid of some contracts and trading for Granlund would solve that on top of their on-ice concerns.
