25-Year-Old Defenseman in Utah May Be Perfect Trade Target for Maple Leafs

As the Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the NHL go on a brief hiatus for the 4 Nations Face-Off, attention will soon turn to exploring potential trade targets leading up to the March 7th NHL trade deadline.

The Maple Leafs have been actively searching for a third-like center, checking out different teams and seeing who is on the market and which players they can afford.

However, another area where they could also use some support is on the blue line, and the Utah Hockey Club has the perfect piece for them, if they're open to dealing Michael Kesselring.

As per mic_mazz on X:

Any player compared to Jake McCabe is certainly one to keep an eye on, making Kesselring an attractive option in Toronto.

Kesselring, a 25-year-old right-handed defenseman, has totaled 22 points in 56 games this season and is known for his tenacity. He isn't afraid to get into the gritty areas of the ice. Additionally, Kesselring is signed through next season with a very affordable cap hit of just $1.4M.

While the Maple Leafs already have a solid top four of Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Morgan Rielly, adding a player like Kesselring to their bottom pairing could help make their defense one of the most well-rounded in the league.

Kesselring excels in all areas of the ice and can contribute offensively, which is crucial for a Leafs team that struggles to generate offense from the back end. However, such a well-rounded player will not come cheap, and acquiring him would likely require a top prospect or a high draft pick as a starting point.

If the Maple Leafs are serious about adding Kesselring to their roster, they will need to act sooner rather than later. As we've seen in recent trades, many teams are already making moves or reconsidering their plans to part with players to recoup assets.