Insider Identifies Maple Leafs' Top Trade Deadline Target Amid Myriad of Rumours
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has revealed who the Maple Leafs' number one trade target is amid a myriad of rumours ahead of Friday's trade deadline.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, as always, have been linked to just about every name on the market ahead of the March 7th trade deadline. This has made it very difficult to nail down who their top trade priority actually is.
The Leafs are believed to be aiming for a centre who can play in their middle six as the team's top trade acquisition, and while names like Scott Laughton, Dylan Cozens and Brock Nelson have come up, there's another name that just won't seem to go away.
Last week, it was reported that Leafs GM Brad Treliving was playing hardball with the St. Louis Blues over their overly high asking price for 33-year-old Brayden Schenn.
Despite Treliving not willing to give into the Blues' asking price, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted that Schenn remains at the top of Toronto's wish-list during his appearance on 'Leafs Morning Take'.
"I think the guy they have done the most research on is Schenn and the most internal thought on is Schenn. I've heard that a lot. I think they've really weighed it internally. It's a big price, right? If they're going to do it, it's probably going to cost them two of those things that we talked about (Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, 2026 first-round pick)...There's no question in my mind the player they've have thought about the most and analyzed the most is Brayden Schenn."
The Leafs essentially have zero cap space, so they would need retention and would be forced to move out a roster player to get Schenn into the fold this season. Although the Leafs would prefer to trade their most coveted assets for a player with term, like Schenn, paying a premium for an aging asset with three more years may be more detrimental than beneficial over the long run, unless the salary retention is meaningful.
After the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning both made blockbuster trades over the past week, Treliving and the Leafs are now a little over 24 hours from the deadline with nothing to show for their due dilligence as of yet.
Needless to say, fans will remain on the edge of their seats until the 3pm deadline on Friday.
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