“This isn’t Toronto’s year to win a playoff round” unless they can pull this off!

Everyone is wondering if this year will be the Toronto Maple Leafs’… or at least, the one where they can finally move past the first round of the postseason. Chatter has hinted that general manager Kyle Dubas is willing to make a splash ahead of the March 3rd deadline, and Dan Rosen of NHL.com that he has no other choice or else the Maple Leafs will once again be eliminated in the first round. When a fan asked Rosen in his weekly mailbag if this is the yearthe Maple Leafs win a round.

“Not if they stay status quo through the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on March 3. The Maple Leafs are not built right now to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in a best-of-7 series because the Lightning would have the edge in goaltending, defense and forward depth,” Rosen answers up front.

The NHL reporter believes Toronto needs center depth and added leadership and experience for a long playoff run. Rosen however suggests solutions to make sure this can be Toronto’s year to win a playoff round.

“The Maple Leafs must go all in before the deadline to maximize their potential this season, and that means making available their first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and top prospect, 20-year-old forward Matthew Knies , for a trade or trades that will make them better today. I know general manager Kyle Dubas recently talked about those assets and was hesitant to say they would be included in trades, especially for rentals, but tomorrow might not matter for a lot of the Maple Leafs players and Dubas if they don’t win today.”

Rosen mentions how adding St. Louis Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly at center could improve the depth in Toronto, but let’s stop talking about options and make a deal happen! He maintains how the Maple Leafs are likely to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round and must make sure they’re in a position the roster to best match up against the Lightning and take your best shot

“If the Maple Leafs win that series, they might not lose this season. They can be that good, that dangerous, but they can’t hold back assets because they may become valuable tomorrow. Their value today is all that matters.”

So, do you feel Dubas is ready to pull the trigger on a monster trade in order to finally get a victorious playoff run under his belt?

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