Toronto Maple Leafs Urged to Trade Top Prospect To Address Key Roster Gaps, per Insider
With questions surrounding who the Maple Leafs could bring in, one name could find themselves out as the perfect addition to get a trade done.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Brad Treliving are going to make a trade by the time March 7 comes around. Whether it's going to be a true third-line center, or defensive help for Morgan Rielly; something needs to improve.
But with all the talks about who Toronto is bringing in, some talk has been made about other names the team could give up and according to a new Daily Faceoff article: Topi Niemala could find himself part of a potential trade package.
Topi Niemala A Prospect Toronto Should Trade Away
The article, written by reporter and analyst Steven Ellis, talks about how Niemala's time with Toronto hasn't lived up to expectations and with new management in tow, it could be his last season:
Under GM Brad Treliving, the team has looked to add grit and size to the back end, so the six-foot Niemelä has been slightly lost in the shuffle.
He has also taken a step back production-wise with the Marlies while not showing a ton of progress with and without the puck, either."
Step back indeed. After an explosive 2023-24 season with the Marlies where he scored eight goals and 31 assists in 68 games, he only has 12 assists (no goals) in 2024-25.
Not big at only 6'0, he doesn't use his size or strength in order to shut down opponents but does so with smart reads and quick anticipation.
But while that may work under Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas, it doesn't under Craig Berube and Brad Treliving.
He won't be a flashy player, and probably won't get any time with the big league club unless he goes wild in the near future, or Toronto has a change of heart with how they've created their entire team.
Niemala could fetch a return that involves a third or fourth line depth center who can kill penalties and has playoff experience.
The team already has $20M+ committed to their Top 4, and need to add a cheap forward option which Niemala and a pick could fetch (perhaps San Jose's Luke Kunin).
He's also in the final year of his ELC, and if Toronto is going to move on anyways from him, they should at least try and recoup an asset or two for him.
It looks like Topi Niemala just ended up in the right place at the wrong time. Clearly the team had high expectations for the defender, but he hasn't quite given them what they need.
But he could this time around, although it would see him leaving in order to do so.
