Rumor: Two potential trades on the horizon for the Maple Leafs.

There has been a ton of fallout from the Toronto Maple Leafs 7 - 1 loss at the hands of an injury-riddled Pittsburgh Penguins team. Members of the Leafs have tried to rationalize the situation, some analysts have had complete meltdowns over the loss, but the real question is whether or not any of this will actually have an impact on the team on the ice.

On Sunday, a few hours after the loss, Maple Leafs insider James Mirtle took a closer look at the situation for the Maple Leafs.  In his analysis Mirtle suggested one trade that he believes should happen now, while also hinting at the possibility of another, likely much larger, trade somewhere further down the road.

Let's begin with the one that Mirtle believes should be made right now. The veteran Leafs reporter called for a change in net, believing that veteran backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson has burned the team too many times to be trusted. Hutchinson has been called on twice now this season, due almost entirely to the fact that Petr Mrazek was injured early in the campaign, and he has looked shaky in those outings. Hutchinson has managed a 4.57 goals against average and a .857 save percentage in his limited play time this season, and with numbers like that it is no surprise that the team in front of him does not trust him.

There isn't the expectation of a blockbuster move in net here, but rather a simple swap on one number 3 goalie for another somewhere else in the league. Even if the statistical improvement isn't there from Hutchinson's replacement, the psychological benefit of not having to play in front of a goaltender you expect to collapse at some point during the game could prove to be a benefit to the team.

There have been some who have called for a change behind the bench with first time National Hockey League head coach Sheldon Keefe at the helm of the team, but Mirtle doesn't believe there will be a coaching change. Instead the insider believes, assuming that the Leafs continue to falter in their next 3 games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks, that it may finally be time for the Leafs to make a major move.

From Mirtle:

No matter how prolonged this mess gets, I don’t think you fire the coach. It’ll finally be time to trade someone significant.

Is it time to pull the plug on the Shanaplan? The next few games may determine which direction this team will move forward in.