Toronto Maple Leafs trade rumours: Andersen, Johnsson, Kerfoot on block

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly looking at trade options involving Frederik Andersen, Alexander Kerfoot, Andreas Johnsson and Pierre Engvall.

It appears as if the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t wasting time when it comes to getting a head start on their off-season roster makeover.

According to theScore, the Leafs are also reportedly gauging interest in Frederik Andersen, Alexander Kerfoot, Andreas Johnsson and Pierre Engvall. The news comes just one day after general manager Kyle Dubas shipped Kasperi Kapanen off to the Pittsburgh Penguins, in a move designed to free up cap space and add assets.

It is no secret that the Maple Leafs would like to improve the roster while walking the tightrope of the salary cap ceiling.  Moving Andersen would bring up an awful lot more questions in between the pipes for the Leafs.

Taking a look at Andersen’s career with the Leafs

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Andersen came to the Maple Leafs before the 2016-17 season, in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks.  The 30-year-old has compiled a 136-66-33 record in his four seasons in Toronto.

Andersen has had a .916 save percentage and 2.77 goals-against average with the Maple Leafs.

This past season was Andersen’s worst statistically, where the Swede recorded a .909 SV% and 2.85 GAA in the regular season.  But come the play-in round, he was far from the Maple Leafs’ problem.

Andersen managed to record a .936 SV% and 1.84 GAA in five games against Columbus. This included a Game 2 shutout, which was the first time he recorded one with the Blue and White in the post-season.

Andersen has been consistent in Toronto and has made the team’s defensive woes look much less glaring over the years.  He has just one more season left on a deal that pays him $5 million per year.

Freddie would be an excellent addition to any contender as a one-year rental or potential long term piece, as he has plenty of good hockey left in him.

The only rationale to see for this kind of a move is to free up the $5 million.  The team is not going to get a better option in free agency, and they have very little goaltending in the system.

Looking at Johnsson, Kerfoot and Engvall

Similar to Kapanen, these players are on good deals while still at a young age.  The Leafs could stand to save some more cap space or acquire more prospects and picks.

Kerfoot carries the largest cap hit of the trio at $3.5 million for the next three seasons.  Acquired in the Nazem Kadri trade (Still miss you, Naz!), Kerfoot had nine goals and 36 points in 69 games played this season.  He also won just 46.9% of his faceoffs and was minus-2.

Johnsson fought injuries and appeared in just 42 games, where he put up 21 points.  He scored 20 goals the previous season and is set to make $3.4 million for the next three years.

Engvall makes the least of the three players, at just $1.25 million over the next two seasons.  He recorded only 15 points in 48 regular-season contests and was held off the scoresheet in four qualifier games.  He is fourth-liner and likely a throw-in to any more significant deal.

If the Kapanen trade was Dubas doubling down on the core four forwards, this news is him tripling down.  The team seems steadfast in going ahead with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, while plugging holes through other creative trades.

The deal with Pittsburgh netted Toronto a first-round pick, which could be dangled in any potential trade for Toronto coming up.

What do you think of the rumour that the Leafs are discussing in trade talks?  What do you think the team should do to improve the roster?  Let us know in the comments below.