With the second half of the season starting the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be a part of the never ending trade speculation.
It is tough to say whether the Toronto Maple Leafs are aggressively looking to add a defenceman. There is no doubting that they need to find a way to improve their D if they want to become legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference, but is there a move that makes sense for them?
That is why this recent speculation surrounding potential defencemen on the trade block have constantly been linked to the Leafs because they should be interested in any option that will make them better. The issue, however, is what will it cost?
The past has shown that teams will overpay for an upgrade on defence, as evident when the San Jose Sharks traded two second round picks in order to acquire Roman Polak and Nick Spaling. The Leafs likely will not make that type of trade because it does not fit into the plan that they have outlined. But here’s a look at a few ideas that have been mentioned.
Kevin Shattenkirk
Recently in Elliotte Friedman’s 30 thoughts he talked about the possibility of a Canadian team, like the Leafs, acquiring a defenceman like Shattenkirk.
"“Shattenkirk made it known he would not consider Edmonton long-term, but would he do it for a few months as the Oilers chase the playoffs? Why not? Montreal and Toronto would also make sense as teams that need a short-term burst. Think about it: Those clubs (or anyone else who would be interested) get a good rental. Shattenkirk gets a situation where he’s going to play a big role and make himself look even better for his upcoming free agency. (Although, as I’ve said before, other teams are convinced he wants to play for the Rangers.) Shattenkirk breaking out with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner or Connor McDavid would be fun to see.” “The biggest hurdle to this kind of plan is what the Blues want for him. The ask has been high during previous conversations. Shattenkirk is months away from unrestricted free agency, and an extension before then seems unlikely. That generally lowers a return. The other thing to remember is St. Louis is in it to win it. If the Blues know they can add another element that helps them now, would they drop their price to get it done?” -Friedman"
Shattenkirk is an intriguing option because he would easily make the Leafs better right now and at 27 years old he still has a lot of hockey left in him. He would be the most expensive option out there because the trade market is thin and he is a right-handed shot defenceman. He is a strong offensive player with nine goals and 21 assists in 45 games. He currently has a cap hit of $4.25-million and is a pending UFA, and could stand to make between $6-7.5 million per season and possibly more depending on which teams are interested.
The Leafs will have to be careful when it comes to making a deal for Shattenkirk, but if there is a chance that he re-signs with the Leafs then it makes sense. Toronto should not be in the market for a rental player because they are not looking at a short window to compete.
The Anaheim Ducks Trio of Defensive Prospects
In the latest segment of TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun discussed how the Ducks will need to make a decision at some point about their blue line. They have Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Cam Fowler, Kevin Bieksa, Simon Despres, Clayton Stoner, and Josh Manson under contract going into next season. They might lose someone to the expansion draft depending on how they choose to protect their players. This is where the Leafs could try to take advantage by looking at their prospect depth on defence, more particularly Shea Theodore, Jacob Larsson and Brandon Montour.
LeBrun is right to point out that the Ducks will need to make a choice on these prospects because they appear to be NHL ready, especially Theodore who has already played 23 games this season.
It is unlikely that the Ducks move him, which means that Montour and Larsson are more ideal targets. Larsson has spent time in Sweden this season, while Montour has continued his strong play in the AHL.
Either one would make sense for the Leafs to pursue in the offseason because both teams have specific needs. Anaheim needs a forward prospect that can give them a spark while the Leafs need stability on the back end.
Next: Leafs Podcast: Life Without Morgan Rielly
A possibility would be to try and include Jame van Riemsdyk for one of the prospects mentioned above and the Leafs try to get a pick in return. What is also a possibility is Kasperi Kapanen, which might not be enticing for Leafs fans, but their depth at forward is strong and they need to take advantage of that. The question is whether the Leafs are looking at the Ducks to solve their search for defence, or is a player like Shattenkirk more realistic?