Toronto Maple Leafs Likely to Pursue NHL Captain in a Trade Following Latest Report, per Insider
Following the latest article for The Athletic from NHL Insider Jonas Siegel, the Maple Leafs are going to push hard for New York's Brock Nelson.
Having been linked to Brock Nelson for the better part of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of several teams who could benefit from adding a premium pivot like Nelson -- if he doesn't end up re-signing with the Islanders first.
But according to a new article written for The Athletic, Nelson's journey to the Maple Leafs might be a bit more difficult -- and a trade may be the only way to get him.
So what does the article say about Nelson's chances with the Leafs?
Brock Nelson's Pursuit Not An Easy Venture For Maple Leafs
There is absolutely no question that Nelson would provide Brad Treliving exactly what he needs for a 2C and allow John Tavares to move down to the 3C position -- something he is better suited for come playoff time.
But the cost alone is going to be big, with the potential for Toronto to trade both Easton Cowan and their slim number of premium draft picks -- that is if New York doesn't keep him first. He's reportedly been offered a three-year extension by GM Lou Lamoriello (who he has a close relationship with) and he might be privy to stay in New York:
Lou is a great guy. I love playing for him. He's done a lot for me. He's given me a great opportunity the last seven years I've had him, and he's an influential guy in hockey in general.
And only knowing Long Island and being an Islander and knowing how much history the team has and the legends that have played there before and what they've done obviously plays into it as well.
That's a really tough sell to try and bring Nelson in, as he clearly has a close relationship with not only the boss, but the city as well.
He's also having a solid season, as per expected. In 55 games he has 17 goals and 18 assists and while those numbers are down from his previous three seasons, Nelson is still a reliable offensive threat.
In his career, Nelson has 566 points in 895 games (292 goals, 274 assists) since being drafted 30th overall by New York in 2010.
There's also other teams in the mix who could be involved, as the article names he Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche as potential trade partners come March 7.
But even beyond that Nelson may eschew everything for Minnesota. Not only is it his home state, but Team USA GM Bill Guerin is GM in Minnesota -- and Nelson has a close relationship there as well:
If Toronto wants to make a serious push for Nelson, they will need to do a lot to convince not only Lou Lamoriello to part with the core of his team's identity, but also convince Nelson that the grass is greener in Toronto than Long Island.
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