Maple Leafs call upon former GM Lou Lamoriello for trade with Islanders

It’s been reported in past weeks that the Toronto Maple Leafs are seeking help down the middle, hoping to get better depth up front. Earlier this week, team insider James Mirtle revealed how one player in New York could become the Maple Leafs’ main target.

Mirtle explains how Toronto should give a call to one of its former general managers in Lou Lamoriello and discuss the possibility of trading for Islanders’ Brock Nelson.

The Maple Leafs are lacking a talented center down the middle after the experiments with both Max Domi and William Nylander failed. Toronto needs a solid 3-C and it does not look like David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok are the appropriate answers.

In New York, there is a sense that Lamoriello could look to clean house and may be open to speaking with the Maple Leafs about a potential move. Mirtle believes Toronto could use a key piece of their lineup in Nelson, as the insider explained on the JD Bunkis Podcast:

“The one name, and like it’s a long way to go to the trade deadline in March but the one name I saw who’s potentially out there is Brock Nelson. He would be the perfect size, can score, he’s not a shutdown center but he’s not going to kill you in your own end either. The Islanders would need to fall out and want to move off of him, and he would be expensive to get a player like that.

“They don’t have a first-round to give up, they need to give up a future first-rounder, you have to give up something substantial to make it happen. If you could bring in a center like that and get the other team to retain half the salary so it fits in comfortably, you start putting together the lines and you’re like ‘Now there’s something.’”

Nelson is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has been a leader for the Islanders, recording 107 goals and 203 points in 236 games. His stature fits into the Leafs’ MO and his leadership as a veteran of 12 seasons in the NHL would be welcomed next to new captain Auston Matthews.

The Maple Leafs need to add a player like Nelson ahead of the postseason and the Islanders forward has the scoring depth needed after putting 50 points in 78 playoff games.

Mirtle claims it’d cost a lot for Toronto to acquire Nelson, though maybe they’d get a friendly discount from former GM Lou. I say it’s worth trying.