Maple Leafs’ Brad Treliving to go after 2 familiar faces for boost on the blue line

The second part of the 2024-25 season gets underway tonight and you know it comes with more rumours with just over two months to go before the trade deadline. Amongst the chatter, there is Maple Leafs team insider Jonas Siegel for the Athletic, who believes that Toronto could reunite with at least one of their former players before March 7th.

According to Siegel, Leafs general manager Brad Treliving will seek some defensive depth on his roster ahead of a long playoff run and could pursue a couple of former Maple Leafs for a boost on the back end.

Siegel points to the potential return of Luke Schenn and Cody Ceci in his latest article to ensure the Maple Leafs are best set up for a deep postseason push.

Schenn was a member of the Leafs just back in 2022-23 season when he was acquired to become Morgan Rielly’ partner on the blue line. He was selected by Toronto fifth overall in 2008, but moved around the league throughout his career, playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Nashville Predators.

The addition of Schenn would bring much needed grit and physicality to Toronto as the veteran blue liner averages 278 hits per 82 games for his career, as well as 124 blocked shots. Schenn would bring the stability on the back in Toronto for the very affordable price of $2.75M.

When it comes to the possibility of reuniting with Ceci, who was acquired by the San Jose Sharks from the Edmonton Oilers this season, he would add that shutdown aspect to the Leafs’ blue line.

Ceci played with Toronto in 2019 and was a good defensive partner to Rielly. He is however more more expensive than Schenn at $3.25M and Toronto would have a harder time bringing him back financially. On top of that, he is struggling this season in San Jose and may not be the best fit for Rielly’s shutdown partner.

GM Treliving has time ahead of the trade deadline to study both Schenn and Ceci as options for a boost on his blue line. One might return to Toronto, or who knows, even both could once again wear the Maple Leaf.