Toronto Maple Leafs: Three Players the Leafs Should Target in Trades

Alexandre Burrows – LW/RW – Vancouver Canucks

With 15 points in 49 games last season, Alexandre Burrows sunk very, very low. He suffered through an unimaginable 40-game goalless drought. Oh, and he spent the season in John Tortorella’s doghouse, dogged by trade and buyout rumours.

In short, Burrows is available in trade.

But why should the Toronto Maple Leafs want Burrows? Besides his agitating, gritty style (you know, the kind of style that endeared Darcy Tucker to Leafs’ fans), Burrows did pot more than 25 goals for four years straight and was on pace for 20 in the lockout-shortened season. Last season is an outlier.

But, the Leafs are in the analytics era now. So, how do Burrows’ fancy stats look?

Amazingly, despite his awful season last year, Alexandre Burrows posted the 35th best Corsi % in the NHL at 56.5%. That placed Burrows alongside skaters like Joe Pavelski, Jeff Carter, and Jaden Schwartz. Though cross-team Corsi comparisons aren’t really fair, it is interesting to note that Toronto’s best Corsi% was Jake Gardiner’s 46.5%.

With an unsustainably low shooting percentage of 4.8% (career average 12.8%) and excellent possession stats, Burrows could take over the second line winger spot that David Clarkson hasn’t earned. 

Leafs Suitability Grade: A-                

Check the Burrows highlights here: