TRADE: Maple Leafs outline Seven defensemen to pursue in a trade

Seven defensemen the Toronto Maple Leafs could seek after in an exchange

They expressed farewell to Luke Schenn, their best defenseman in the 2023 end of the season games, and Ryan O’Reilly, one of the top cautious advances of his age, in free organization. Alex Kerfoot, one of their key punishment executioners, strolled also. As new GM Brad Treliving turned over Toronto’s list, he added numerous players known for their battles in their own end, including defenseman John Klingberg and advances Max Domi and Ryan Reaves.

It hence shouldn’t have really shocked see the Leafs sink to the base portion of the NHL in shots, shot endeavors and scoring chances permitted per 60 at 5-on-5 while good to beat all best punishment kill this season. This group was built to win (and lose) track meets. The 1994-95 New Jersey Fallen angels they ain’t. So as Treliving leaves on his journey to find no less than one defenseman, having spoken straightforwardly this week about the need to take action, it’s not really a “How could we arrive?” situation. The Leafs were at that point there going into the season.

With Klingberg doing combating a hip physical issue and going to long haul harmed hold, $4.15 million in cap space falls under the table – and that may be enduring cap space given Klingberg is no lock to return anytime this season. Treliving currently has the space for error to seek after a significant protection situated blueliner – maybe even two, on the off chance that he can bring in the cash work. Adding even more urgency: Tuesday night’s Imprint Giordano injury.

Which veteran defenseman checks out for the Leafs? Consider these names, positioned by a blend of hockey fit and how conceivable they are as targets.

1. Chris Tanev, Calgary Flares

Age: 33
Shoots: Right Agreement: He had to be No. 4.5 million, 2024 UFA (10-team no-trade list). 1 here. It was Treliving who marked Tanev to a four-year bargain, presently in its last season, in 2020 when Treliving was GM in Calgary. Tanev has exactly the game that Toronto wants. He’s not an unadulterated intimidator, however he’s a cutting edge, versatile cautious defenseman who plays with little respect for his own security, hindering shots freely. Just four players association wide have more blocks over the beyond five seasons. Over that equivalent range, Tanev positions among the association chiefs in under-staffed minutes per game. The past three seasons, he had truly outstanding on-ice scoring chance differentials in the association at 5-on-5 notwithstanding dealing with extreme matchups. To finish it off: He is a right shot, making him an immediate replacement for Timothy Liljegren and Klingberg, both of whom were hurt.

Although Tanev is on a 10-team no-trade list, he is from Toronto and has played his entire career in high-pressure Canadian markets, so Toronto is unlikely to scare him off. So it’s hard to envision the Leafs being one of his rejected objections. Tanev exitted a game recently subsequent to taking a puck to the face, however he’s not supposed to miss a lot if any time.

2. Andrew Peeke, Columbus Blue Coats

Age: 25
Shoots: Right Agreement: $2.75 million through 2025-26

It seems like Peeke has been around everlastingly, yet he’s only 25, hailing from a similar draft class as Charlie McAvoy. Peeke plays a fundamentals game in a 6-foot-3, 210-pound outline. He’s not somebody you rely on for offense. Be that as it may, he’s exceptionally physical. The Leafs could unquestionably utilize an obtuse contrivance like him. What’s more, the obtaining cost wouldn’t be excessively restrictive; After playing more than 21 minutes per game the previous season, he has been squeezed out by the improved D-corps in Columbus, where he has only played 14:55 minutes and only played four games this season. It’s pretty clear that GM Jarmo Kekalainen can’t use him. The Leafs could easily oblige his cap number, as well, regardless of whether the Blue Coats hold any compensation.

The hidden numbers for Peeke have been quite monstrous in his profession, yet they’ve come while playing in some terrible Columbus groups. He’s additionally been utilized in troublesome tasks against rivals’ top advances. His most regularly confronted adversaries over the past three seasons were Sidney Crosby’s line and Alex Ovechkin’s line. So Peeke could passage better in a more grounded group in a third-pair sending.

3. Alexandre Transporter, Nashville Hunters

Age: 27
Shoots: Right
Contract: $2.5 million, 2024 UFA

Transporter had serious squeeze only quite a while back. He stacked up 30 focuses in 77 games in his most memorable full NHL season, making the All-New kid on the block Group and completing tenth in the Calder Prize vote. He was by all accounts arising as one of the better youthful two-way protectors in the game. Be that as it may, he battled to measure up to raised assumptions last season and experienced a couple of wounds, one of which arrived in a rash battle against the transcending Logan Stanley, and was restricted to only 43 games. At this stage, Transporter feels like a greater amount of an eccentric item. Might he at any point get his vocation in the groove again with the right group?

He could become like T.J. Brodie because he is a small defender who can move and does a little bit of everything well when he is at his best. Yet, the Leafs would be imprudent to follow through on a slam dunk cost for Transporter, particularly given his agreement lapses after this season.

4. Nikita Zadorov, Calgary Flares

Age: 28
Shoots: Left
Contract: $3.75 million, 2024 UFA

Zadorov stands apart alongside colleague Tanev as the other clear exchange target postponed by numerous a fan and savant – and, obviously, by a Leaf player who purportedly told Zadorov he’s precisely exact thing the Leafs need after they took on the Flares recently. It is important to note that Zadorov, Max Domi, and Mitch Marner were teammates on the OHL’s London Knights 10 years ago.

Zadorov positively meets a ton of the Leafs’ assumed rules. He’s a huge 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds. He’s a rebuffing hitter. He moves well for a man his size. He can kill punishments with that rangy wingspan of his. Then again, on the grounds that he has such a novel arrangement of actual instruments, there ought to be a lot of contest for his administrations, driving up the cost. He additionally battles to avoid the punishment box. Over the beyond three seasons, among NHL blueliners with no less than 100 games played, he takes the tenth most punishments each hour at 5-on-5. It’s difficult to help the PK assuming you’re the one in the container.

5. Will Borgen, Seattle Kraken

Age: 26
Shoots: Right
Contract: $2.75 million through 2024-2025 Borgen does not see a lot of time on the deep Seattle blueline, but when he does, he is a devastating force. Since Seattle selected him in the 2021 expansion draft, he has reached the 92nd percentile of all NHL defensemen in hits per 60 minutes. He plays a basic, unselfish guard first game and kills punishments, yet not on Seattle’s No. 1 unit. In addition, despite having a small share of ice time, he is accustomed to competing with elite players in his assignments. He likewise qualifies as a two-year rental conveying a sensible cap hit of $2.75 million. He probably won’t be essentially as invigorating as a couple of the greater name choices out there, yet Borgen could be a calm take.

That said: After coming within one victory of winning the Western Conference Final in the spring, the Kraken intended to compete this season. Regardless of their lazy beginning to 2023-24, they’re one point back of the No. 2 Special case spot in the West. Could it really seem OK to exchange Borgen, who is presently playing in their main four close by Jamie Oleksiak?

6. Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks

Age: 25
Shoots: Left
Contract: $3.25 million through 2025-26

Ferraro is one of those players who makes you twofold take when you look into his profile. He’s just six-foot – and recorded at 5-foot-11 in certain spots. In any case, he plays greater than that. He will get his nose grimy. He has discreetly crunched significant minutes on the wallowing Sharks in late seasons, more the consequence of being pushed up the profundity outline in a terrible group than procuring genuine top-pair status on merit. He could deal with a second-or third-matching job on a competitor. In that he is a tough blueliner who hasn’t been tested much in high-stakes games because he has been stuck on bad teams, he is similar to Jake McCabe from last season. Ferraro still can’t seem to play a NHL postseason game, very much like McCabe when the Leafs procured him last season.

Ferraro conveys a $3.25 million cap hit for two additional seasons after this one. Is that a bug or a component? It’s easily proven wrong.

7. Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers

Age: 27
Shoots: Left
Contract: $6.25 million through 2030-31
(Full no-exchange statement through 2027-28)

For no particular reason, we should toss an aggressive objective onto this rundown in Sanheim. Given that he has a cap hit of more than $6 million, a full no-trade clause, and is in the first year of an eight-year extension, he appears to be more of an option during the offseason. A procurement this confounded isn’t not difficult to execute mid-season. The Leafs would need to settle up with a bundle including significant draft capital and possibilities. Sanheim would likewise need to postpone his NTC. What’s more, it’s basically impossible that the Flyers would hold pay on somebody with seven years left on his arrangement after this season.

In any case, assuming the Leafs conclude they need to do something extraordinary to change their group cosmetics? Sanheim would change the personality of their D-corps with his balanced, all-circumstances game and capacity to play monstrous measures of minutes. Treliving is no more unusual to striking exchanges, all things considered.