Maple Leafs are putting their first-round pick in play!

If you thought Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was hell bent on keeping his first round pick ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, think again.

On Friday, with just one week to go until the deadline, Treliving revealed how he was open to dealing his team’s first round pick in a trade worthy of it, per insider Jonas Siegel of the Athletic. 

“I think you gotta be careful with 1st round picks for short-term help. But if it makes sense at the end of the day when you do the final analysis…you have to look at every option.”

For months now, it has been said that Treliving was very reluctant to move a first-round pick at or ahead of the deadline for immediate roster improvement. He reportedly made an offer to the Calgary Flames in order to acquire defenseman Chris Tanev, using multiple lower-round draft picks. Tanev has since been traded to the Dallas Stars, with the help of the New Jersey Devils.

Last night, the Maple Leafs made their first move ahead of the deadline, acquiring defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks with the Carolina Hurricanes acting as brokers in the transaction. It is however believed that another trade for added boost on the blue line might take place in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs have been linked to Washington Capitals’ Nick Jensen, Arizona Coyotes’ Matt Dumba, Nashville Predators’ Alexandre Carrier and Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Walker. The latter could command a first-round pick and we will have to wait and see if that’s the deal Treliving had in mind when he spoke about the possibility of parting with his first round selection.

Some fans are still hoping that a monster trade is in the works, which could bring now the most coveted defenseman in Noah Hanifin of the Flames to Toronto… however, Treliving wasn’t able to convince his former team to strike a deal with him for Tanev, and so, there might be little hope there.

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• Leafs’ Brad Treliving put through the wringer following Lyubushkin trade
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