Toronto Maple Leafs Should Avoid Doan and Iginla
By James Reeve
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been mentioned as possible suitors for Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla, but the team should steer clear of the veteran forwards.
There have been many wild and speculative trade rumours surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, with some making plenty of sense.
However, Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla’s connection with the Leafs is one that should be avoided at all costs.
More from Toronto Maple Leafs
- Maple Leafs Rumours: Half of NHL teams interested in Ilya Mikheyev
- Toronto Maple Leafs: How to address the goaltender position
- Leafs reward Timothy Liljegren with extension after breakout season
- Maple Leafs: Jack Campbell situation becoming increasingly uncertain
- Jason Spezza retires, joins Toronto Maple Leafs front office
Long-time Coyote Doan and journeyman Iginla have been reported to be interested in a trade to a playoff contender, with some corners of the hockey world commenting on a possible interest from the Maple Leafs.
While the veterans are both likely destined for the hall of fame, both for varying reasons, the Leafs should not even consider bringing either to the team.
But what are the reasons for such a strong opinion on this?
Age
The Leafs have one of the youngest teams in the NHL and are built to contend for the playoffs for many years to come.
Doan and Iginla, however, are old enough to be the fathers of some of the Leafs’ current rookies.
Iginla is 39 years old and Doan is even older at 40, meaning that the end of their careers is fast-approaching.
The Leafs leadership group have often spoken about building for long-term success and not simply aiming for short-term gains.
The pair of veteran Canadian forwards are more suited for a team looking to win this year.
Salary
Despite being at such advanced ages, the veteran pair are still earning a good living on their current contracts.
Doan is the cheaper option, with a current cap hit of $3,876,134, while Iginla is on an astonishing $5,333,333 – higher than ANY forward owned by the Leafs.
Both players are, admittedly, Unrestricted Free Agents this summer – meaning the impact of their contracts would be short.
However, should the Leafs allow so much of their recently acquired cap space be spent on players well past their prime?
Performance
If the Leafs are looking for some veteran players that are capable of producing at a decent level, neither Doan or Iginla fit the profile.
Doan is having a stronger season, with five goals and 19 total points in 55 games played so far. Iginla, however, has seven goals and 15 total points in one fewer game.
When looking at the Leafs team, Doan and Iginla do have some comparables.
This season, the veteran forwards are performing at a similar rate offensively to Leo Komarov (8G, 10A) and Matt Hunwick (1G, 12A).
If the Leafs were to target a veteran, Jaromir Jagr would be a much more attractive option.
Despite being FIVE years older than Doan, Jagr has an impressive 10 goals and 32 points in 55 games played this season.
Combine that with the fact the Czech legend is $1,333,333 cheaper than Iginla, it is clear who should be a preferred veteran target if the Leafs were truly interested.
Position
Both Iginla and Doan are wingers, which is a position the Leafs do not currently need help with.
The team is interested in obtaining some forward depth, but are preferably interested in signing a veteran centre.
The team is also in need of better quality defencemen and do not have to fill out their team with more wingers when they have so many performing to a high level.
Mitch Marner, William Nylander and James van Riemsdyk are some of the team’s top performers and are far younger than either Doan or Iginla.
While it would be nice to see either player have a chance to perform well in the playoffs and at least come closer to winning a Stanley Cup ring, the Leafs are just not the right fit.
There is no suggestion that Doan or Iginla would realistically join the Leafs, with both players having closer ties to the Western Conference – particularly Western Canada.
But, if there was, then there are just too many reasons why Toronto should pass on the chance to trade for them.
Next: Are the Leafs preparing for blockbuster trades?
What do you think? Should the Leafs consider either Doan or Iginla if they are available and willing? Or should the Leafs focus on other potential deals? Let us know in the comments below!