Reporter suggests dealing core 4 member for skilled but injury prone blueliner

The proposed trade is Nylander to Colorado for Bowen Byram for no other reason than the Leafs have an abundance of forwards and the Avs have an abundance of defensemen. It's not that I don't like the deal, but it's not one the Leafs should be making. For one, by trading Nylander, the Leafs are depleting their depth on the right wing and at a cap hit of just $6.9M this season, Nylander is a bargain of a contract coming off of a 40-goal, 87 point campaign. The 27-year-old is an established NHL star and while his next contract will come with a big raise, it is hard to find or acquire 40- goal scorers without paying an arm and a leg for them.

On the other side, Byram, drafted 4th overall by Colorado in 2019, is just 21 years old and had 10 goals in 42 games last season. He has all the makings of a top-pairing defenseman, something the Leafs need, but he's currently stuck behind the likes of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard and Josh Manson in Colorado. Byram is a smooth skating defenseman that has a lot of similarities to Makar, but at 21, he has already had a number of concussions, which is the main reason why I would be hesitant to make this one for one swap. There are just too many longevity concerns here.

Trading a 40-goal, established star in Nylander, who has managed to stay healthy for the majority of his career, for a 21-year-old blueliner that could have his career ended on the next hit he gives or takes is just not worth the risk, in my opinion. Again, this is not a knock on Byram. He, by all accounts, is a very talented young defenseman. There are just too many uncertainties surrounding his future to want to take that gamble if you're the Leafs.