Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Likely To Be Traded, per Insider
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson looks poised to be on the move soon, with a potential replacement at forward identified according to a new report.
NHL insider David Pagnotta of 'The Fourth Period' reported on 'The Leafs Nation' podcast that it appears Nick Robertson will be gone from the Toronto Maple Leafs roster as the team will have to add cap space when the team is at full health.
Nick's still available, he's still out there, everybody knows he's a piece that Toronto is willing to trade and because you're going to have guys coming back from injury....you gotta create a little bit of cap space.
Robertson's probably going to be the guy who's out."
Pagnotta also said during the show that for right now, Mitch Marner isn't going anywhere, likely to play out his current contract to it's end in Toronto.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde is a player he's linking to the Toronto Maple Leafs as a potential 3C.
If indeed Gourde is moved, my matchmaking crystal ball has him landing with Toronto because he fits the criteria of what the Leafs need as far as a third-line center upgrade.
He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning and plays the kind of game that translates come playoff time. He's got a modified no-trade, but my understanding is he would have no issue with a move to the Leafs.
And he's the kind of player general manager Brad Treliving appreciates - not shying away from the rough-and-tumble hockey played in playoffs.
It remains to be seen whether the Kraken will actually make Gourde available ahead of the deadline."
Is A Yanni Gourde For Nick Robertson The Right Trade For The Toronto Maple Leafs?
Gourde has been a player recently linked to Toronto as an option for a trade.
The one question for the Leafs is in terms of cap space. Yanni Gourde is making just over $5.1M until the end of this season, and even at 50% retained, nearly $2.6M, that's still adding more than they are shipping out.
Gourde has five goals and 15 points in 32 games played this season in a bit of a down year with Seattle.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will still need to solve their cap space even if they get rid of Robertson, as he is one of their cheapest forwards who can still snatch a decent return.
Unless a player like Auston Matthews is out for the season, the Leafs won't be done with just one trade and the lineup could look a lot different once the captain finally returns.
