Toronto Maple Leafs trade value rankings: Part 2

After the expansion draft roster freeze was lifted, teams started to make moves to shake things up. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be doing some shuffling of their own.

After sorting through players ranked 20-11 in terms of trade value in Part 1, let’s take a look at the top ten Toronto Maple Leafs’ trade assets.

General Manager Kyle Dubas believes in the core of the franchise, but if they don’t start winning in the playoffs, his seat will get hotter than it already is. Who might the Maple Leafs trade to improve their team?

More from Tip of the Tower

• Cam Phillips making his mark on Toronto Argonauts offence
• Toronto Argonauts: 4 storylines ahead of matchup against Redblacks
• Federico Bernardeschi ready for new challenge with Toronto FC
• Toronto Argonauts overcome Roughriders in entertaining Touchdown Atlantic
• Buffalo Bills: Von Miller drawing inspiration from Bruce Smith

As a reminder from the first part, this list is based on a player’s production, current age, future outlook, contract amount and length, and positional scarcity. It is about what the Leafs could fetch on the open market.

The list includes players currently signed, who have a good chance at being on the 2021-22 team. Prospects such as Rodion Amirov, Topi Niemela, and Roni Hirvonen are not included but would have other teams interested.

The trade value of each player is measured using the exact science and creativity of a five-star system (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ). All contract and statistical information courtesy of Cap Friendly and Hockey Reference.

Solid contributors and top young players for a Maple Leafs trade

10.  Jack Campbell – Age: 29 – $1,650,000 – 1 Year Left ⭐⭐⭐

Campbell is tremendously valuable to the Leafs as a reliable goaltender making $1.65 million. He would also be sought after throughout the league as a tandem starter or overqualified backup. The question is which version of the former first-round pick is real? Is it the guy who played mostly as a backup in Los Angeles for four seasons or the one who became the starter in Toronto?

Last season was magical for the Port Huron, MI native after taking the reins for an injured Frederik Andersen. Campbell started 22 games, winning 17 of them and posting a tidy .921 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average in the regular season. He backed that up with a .934 SV% and 1.81 GAA in seven playoff games.

9. Nicholas Robertson – Age: 19 – $796,667 – 3 Years Left  ⭐⭐⭐

The diminutive left-winger played in four postseason games in 2019-20 and even tallied a goal. Last season, the former second-rounder only got into six regular-season games, with one assist. His first season with the Marlies was unimpressive, to say the least. The Pasadena, CA native recorded five goals and 11 assists in 21 games.

However, there is still a lot to like for a player that is just 19 years old and with three years left on an entry-level deal. Further development is going to be necessary though to be a major asset to the Maple Leafs or any other NHL squad. The talent is there and plenty of time remains to hit his stride. Top-six potential at a minimum price is highly coveted in the NHL.

8. Jake Muzzin – Age: 32 – $5,625,000 – 3 Years Left ⭐⭐⭐

Probably the team’s most reliable defenceman over the past few seasons, Muzzin is a key piece of the Leafs. He has been a very durable and steady regular-season player, amassing a plus-44 rating in 136 games as a Maple Leaf. The former fifth-rounder has logged an average of 21:28 of ice time over three seasons in Toronto.

A freak injury cost him the last three games against Columbus in the 2019-20 qualifying tournament. Last season, the Woodstock native scored two goals in six playoff games and added 16 hits and 11 blocked shots. Dependable and calm with a reasonable cap hit over the next three years makes Muzzin one of the best Maple Leafs trade pieces.

7. TJ Brodie – Age: 31 – $5,000,000 – 3 Years Left ⭐⭐⭐

Brodie has been everything the Leafs could have asked for and more after signing a four-year deal worth $20 million last offseason. The former Calgary Flame was a steady presence on the blueline, picking up a plus-23 rating to lead the team in 2020-21. He was one of just three players to appear in all 56 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs.

The Chatham native was the top Toronto player in defensive point shares (an estimate of the number of points contributed by a player due to his defence). Brodie played all seven playoff games for Toronto, logging 22:35 of ice-time. He added a plus-5 rating, 10 blocked shots, and two points. Brodie is ahead of Muzzin because he is slightly younger and cheaper but it’s close.

6. Rasmus Sandin – Age: 21 – $894,167 – 2 Years Left ⭐⭐⭐

Sandin was hard to place because everything is there for the young Swede except the games played. In 37 career regular-season games, the former first-round pick has accumulated 12 points, 29 blocked shots, and 44 hits.

Sandin almost certainly projects as a top-four defenceman with upside as a first pairing defender. At 21 years old and under $900k, he is a big chip for the Leafs.

Do you expect any of these players to be moved at any point in their Leafs’ career? Do you think they present great trade value for Toronto? Let us know in the comments below