The Toronto Maple Leafs have to be one of the most tortured franchises in the NHL. For nearly a decade now, the Maple Leafs have regularly been one of the best teams in the NHL but unable to show up when the games matter most.
In eight consecutive postseason appearances, only once have the Maple Leafs made it to the second round. They’ve stood firm with several players and executives, but it’s time for a change. Does moving out one of the core players help push Toronto back to the mountaintop?
NHL Network analyst Stu Grimson outlined what kind of haul the Maple Leafs could receive if they finally pulled the trigger on a Mitch Marner trade.
“I know the Leafs covet that kind of gritty presence as part of your top six, who can also generate top-end offensive numbers,” Grimson said. He is that one piece that may bring the added necessity… back to the mix.”
Grimson listed players like Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett. They both play within the Panthers’ top six and are not only pests to play against but also some of Florida’s best offensive producers.
The Maple Leafs have almost always lacked that level of sandpaper within their top six. The focus has always been on offense and not much else. Superstars like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Marner have been able to produce but rarely get combative.
Michael Bunting made a name for himself as a top-six forward with some edge in his two seasons in Toronto, but the Maple Leafs let him walk to free agency ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Marner has caught all the attention this offseason because a trade for him seems the most plausible. He’s about to enter the final year of his contract, and pretty much every other team in the NHL would be interested in his talents.
“It will be a haul,” Grimson said. “I got to believe there will be a solid, established impact player as part of the mix. Perhaps a mix of picks and prospects. It should be a rich return.”
If the Maple Leafs decide to go in that direction, they are sure to get plenty in return, but among that trade, there needs to be a Tkachuk or Bennett-type to be a pain to play against within their top forward lines.
