Former Leaf and one of the Leafs' top rumoured trade targets has been scratched for trade-related reasons

One of the more prized acquisitions a contending team can make ahead of the trade deadline is bolstering the defense and that's when several teams start to pay a pretty penny. Players like Chychrun and Jake McCabe who have a few years remaining on their contract become that much more valuable but defensive defensemen with playoff experience are the cream of the crop. Enter Luke Schenn.

Rick Dhaliwal first mentioned how there was a chance that Schenn could be seated ahead of tonight's game against the Nashville Predators, only for Elliotte Friedman to double down by confirming that will be the case. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been trying to bolster their backend and have been interested in Schenn for many weeks. There are rumblings that the Leafs are very close to acquiring the defenseman but take it was a grain of salt with rumours aplenty this time of year.

Schenn is playing in his 15th year, has 918 games under his belt including his first 310 with Toronto, and has 2 Stanley Cup rings to his name as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. This year he has 3 goals and 21 points with the Canucks, which is the most points he's totalled since 2011-12 with Toronto and is only 1 point away from tying his career high.

He's averaged 17:11 TOI this year, has 258 hits and 81 blocked shots, had 273 hits and 96 blocked shots last year, and should play an important role down the stretch for any contending team that acquires him.