Toronto Maple Leafs: Examining 4 potential trade deadline targets

Alexander Georgiev

Georgiev’s name has been associated with the Leafs for a while and there’s a good reason why. The New York Rangers backup has stolen a few games against the Leafs and many believe he would be the ideal solution to the team’s somewhat unreliable option behind Frederik Andersen.

With the Rangers promoting Igor Shestyorkin, Georgiev has had to split his playing time between the rookie and starter Henrik Lundqvist. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported recently that New York would be willing to listen to trade offers on the Russian goalie who is a pending restricted free agent.

The real question here is what the Rangers would be looking for in return and whether the Leafs have the exact piece to move. If New York expects to get a significant piece for a goalie that will continue to be a backup down the road, they have to keep their expectations realistic.

Georgiev has a 10-9-1 record with a 3.17 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 20 games this season which is certainly an improvement on Michael Hutchinson‘s numbers. He would also give the Leafs a more dependable option to rest Andersen and have a better security blanket in case the Leafs starter gets injured (knock on wood again).

As for what the cost would be, the Rangers will probably look at the crop of forwards that have made their way up from the Toronto Marlies like a Pierre Engvall but everyone continues to bring up Jeremy Bracco’s name.

Considering the Marlies winger continues to wait for his NHL opportunity registering 29 points (three goals, 26 assists) in 37 games in the AHL. While the 22-year-old enjoyed a career season with 79 points last year, it might be a tough sell to move Bracco without adding something else with that.