Maple Leafs warned about blockbuster trade ahead of deadline!

As the March 8 trade deadline gets closer, chatter is getting louder that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to improve on the back end, and let’s be honest, their goaltending is still a mystery. General manager Brad Treliving may be working hard to get the pieces he needs for a long playoff - we all know how he’s been linked to his former club, the Calgary Flames, trying to pry out defenseman Chris Tanev in a trade - but Jacob Stoller of the Hockey News believes the Leafs “are not one or two pieces away from being a legit Stanley Cup contender like last season.” And so, Stoller warns Toronto about going all-in this year.

When he compares the Maple Leafs’ stats and standings from last year and the playoff results that came out of this, Stoller calls out Toronto’s struggles in net, claims the defense needs “another difference-maker (or two)” and how the signings of forwards “Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Reaves just haven’t panned out as expected.”

Therefore, he warns the Maple Leafs about the upcoming trade deadline and how maybe, the forwards they currently have can defend better, especially if only the superstars are going to find the back of the net!

“Any attempt for Toronto to go all-in at a time when market prices are inflated would be short-sighted. Even with the salary cap set to rise at a more healthy rate going forward, the books will be tight for the Maple Leafs. Giving up picks or prospects who could be valuable contributors on entry-level contracts — such as Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten — wouldn’t be wise. They’re better to try to make the most out of the players they’ve already acquired in the past year.”

Rumours have linked the Maple Leafs to significant trade rumours, including Tanev in Calgary, but also goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from the Minnesota Wild, who could waive his clause to join a Stanley Cup contender for another championship before considering retirement.

Toronto has a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, but they also don’t have a first- or second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Would it be smart to put themselves in a position to potentially not have a pick in the first two rounds of the next two drafts?

Maybe Stoller’s warning holds some truth ahead of the trade deadline…

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