Everyone knows that a trade is coming in Toronto and that it's not so much a matter of "if" but, rather, "when". The Maple Leafs could really use an extra defenseman right about now and with the holiday trade freeze rapidly approaching, the Leafs appear to be ramping up efforts to get something done.
Per The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, representatives from 14 different NHL teams were present in Toronto to scout the Leafs and Blue Jackets last night. That's nearly half the league with scouts in attendance.
Per Pagnotta, Arizona, Boston, Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, Montreal, Nashville, Ottawa (2), St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Vegas (2) and Washington were the teams who sent reps to check out last night's game at Scotiabank Arena.
Of those teams, a few teams stand out, since we know that they have defensemen on their respective trading blocks, including the likes of Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo in Carolina, Philip Broberg in Edmonton and Will Borgen in Seattle.
For the Leafs, they have actually faired quite well in the absence of 3 of their top-6 defenders, as John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano all suffered long-term injuries. Over their last 14 games, the Leafs have collected points in 13 of them, en route to a 9-1-4 record over that span.
Still, even with the Leafs continuing to find ways to bank points, it appears as though Treliving understands that it's not sustainable. Whether or not a deal gets done before the trade free remains to be seen, but we know from the sheer number of scouts in attendance last night that things are ramping up.
