Top-5 players the Leafs could pursue to add some toughness at the deadline
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few different areas where they should improve before the trade deadline in order to put the team in a position to succeed come playoff time.
Some secondary scoring would definitely help bolster the Leafs' offense but the clear area of need is toughness - especially on the back end.
In the offensive zone, the Leafs show a lot of grit with a relentless forecheck, unlike in their own zone where many times they emulate Sheldon Keefe's "soft and purposeless" quote from earlier this season. Luckily for the Leafs there are many players that are available at the trade deadline that can add some sandpaper for the playoffs.
These are the top 5 candidates that I think the Leafs should take a look at to add some toughness for the playoffs.
5 - ANTOINE ROUSSEL (ARIZONA COYOTES)
He's in his final year of one of former Canucks GM Jim Benning's infamous bad contracts but Roussel could provide some value to the Leafs' bottom 6. Roussel's numbers do not jump off the board at all. The 32-year-old has just 5 points in 40 games but he would not be in a scoring role. Roussel plays a very physical game. He throws a lot of hits and will drop the gloves when challenged. He plays a style that would help the Leafs come playoff time and we saw that he can be a factor in the playoffs when the Canucks went to the second round in the 2020 bubble.
Roussel has an expensive $3 million cap hit which may be a deterring factor for the Leafs. One way the Leafs and Coyotes could make a deal work is if Nick Ritchie was involved. It would result in the Leafs taking on a bigger cap hit this season but Roussel would be a rental whereas Ritchie has another year left on his contract. Ritchie making more than his $2.5 million cap hit in actual dollars may push him out of the Coyotes' price range, but if the two sides could find a deal involving Roussel - he would be a great add that would toughen up the Leafs' bottom 6.
4 - ZDENO CHARA (NEW YORK ISLANDERS)
Leafs fans have a history of watching Zdeno Chara get the best of them in the playoffs and it has scarred many of us for life. Chara tormented the Leafs in three seperate playoff series' when he was captain of the Boston Bruins.
Although Chara is in the late stages of his NHL career he would still provide value for a team in the playoffs. It is no secret that the NHL referees call a different rulebook in the playoffs and very few exploit that more than Chara. Standing at 6'9, Chara gets away with many infractions and will deter players from getting too physical with the Leafs' stars because not only would you have to answer to Wayne Simmonds but you'd also have to answer to "Big Z."
3 - BEN CHIAROT (MONTREAL CANADIENS)
The supposed asking price of a first round pick for Ben Chiarot is a steep one but is one that the Leafs should consider if they want to add some toughness to their back end. The Habs have already shown that they are in seller mode this trade deadline after trading Tyler Toffoli to Calgary for a haul of picks and prospects. Chiarot plays a style that fits how the game is called in the playoffs and many teams should be calling Ken Hughes about his services. Including their historic rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
2 - LUKE SCHENN (VANCOUVER CANUCKS)
I have written in the past about why a reunion between the Leafs and Schenn makes sense. Schenn checks many boxes for the Leafs. He plays a physical game, he is good in his own end, and he can kill penalties. He has spent time this season on a pair with Quinn Hughes and he has allowed for Hughes to play his preferred style. The same can be done with Schenn if he came back to Toronto. He and Rasmus Sandin would compliment each other very well if they were paired together.
Schenn makes $800K for the next two seasons. He is a cost controlled player that would likely not take much for the Leafs to acquire. He solves a few problems for the Buds and it still leaves GM Kyle Dubas with the assets and cap space to go after one of the bigger fish at the trade deadline.
1 - MAX DOMI COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
The son of Leafs legend Tie Domi, Max Domi would be a fantastic addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a third or fourth line role come playoff time. Like his father, Max plays a tenacious game. What he has that his father didn't is the ability to put the puck in the net. In 36 games this season, Domi has 21 points. He is a versatile forward, with the ability to play special teams and fits many different roles for the Leafs. He has the offensive abilities to slot in on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander and perhaps play a similar role to what Bunting does on the Leafs top line. He can also slot into the bottom 6 and provide some scoring there.
Domi would be a great add for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has the tenacity to play playoff hockey and the skill to keep up with the Leafs' stars. He contributes to every need that the Leafs have and despite being a rental, he is someone the Leafs should consider going all in for - and let's be honest. It would be nice to see "Domi" on the back of a Leafs jersey again.
The Leafs still have a month and change before the trade deadline to figure out who they may add. The first domino of trade season fell Monday afternoon and more could be on the way. I'm sure Kyle Dubas is working the phones for the bulk of his days and any of these 5 players would definitely help the Buds become a tougher team to play against come playoff time.
