Toronto Maple Leafs: Could Anaheim Ducks become trade partners?
By James Reeve
The Anaheim Ducks could be open for business and the Toronto Maple Leafs might be the ideal trade partners ahead of the deadline.
With the firing of head coach Randy Carlyle, a number of changes will be coming to the Anaheim Ducks and the Toronto Maple Leafs could potentially benefit as a result.
General manager Bob Murray has taken charge of the Ducks’ coaching duties and will see out the rest of the season in this role.
And according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger, Murray could be willing to make some moves if they can help the Ducks get young and faster.
Bob Murray re trade deadline: "If opportunity comes up where we can get younger and faster, I'd have to look strongly at it." Says #ducks don't need a 4-5 yr rebuild because of rich cache of prospects on farm." #ducks
— Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) February 10, 2019
The Leafs have a number of talented young players in their system, with some also possessing some impressive speed that the ageing Ducks would desire.
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The Ducks, meanwhile, have a number of solid defencemen who also have a fairly affordable cap hit – something the Leafs will no doubt be interested in, with a tight cap situation coming in 2019-20.
A player such as Brandon Montour, who is a 24-year-old right-handed blueliner with a cap hit of just under $3.4 million, could be an intriguing player for the Toronto Maple Leafs if the Ducks come knocking for any of their young, speedy talents.
The right side of Toronto’s defence certainly needs improving, with the team’s left side already solid with Jake Muzzin, Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott.
With Morgan Rielly now playing on the right, this has pushed Ron Hainsey down to the third line, a role he is certainly more suited for, but has also seen Nikita Zaitsev remain in his regular second pairing role.
With the Ducks having just over $8 million of cap space next season, and nine impending unrestricted free agents in the current roster alone, Murray may be looking to shed a contract or two to help retain the majority of their free agents.
While Montour’s contract isn’t the largest, it could certainly be moved – especially if it gets the Ducks a young forward who can be brought into the line-up this season and help the team moving forward.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could have difficulties retaining a number of their impending free agents, with Gardiner identified as one player who is more than likely to move on if his contract demands can’t be accommodated.
Adding a player such as Montour, who would immediately step into the second pairing on the Leafs, would help to soften that blow as he is signed until 2020.
While the likes of Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson should be off the market, the Leafs have some pieces in the minors that might interest the Ducks and the two teams are no strangers to dealing together.
The Deadline is in just two weeks time and the Toronto Maple Leafs look certain to at least try to make some more additions; the Anaheim Ducks could be the perfect team to talk to, especially if it boosts the Leafs’ defence even further.
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What do you think Leafs Nation? Should Kyle Dubas give the Ducks a call and see what it would cost for a player such as Montour, or maybe even Josh Manson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.