NHL Insider Confirms That a Top Maple Leafs Prospect is a Lock to be Traded
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski - USA Today Sports
Nick Kypreos is all but certain that the Maple Leafs will be moving one of their top prospects at next week's trade deadline for a substantial piece.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are always extremely busy ahead of the trade deadline. Nearly every top player available on the market has been linked to the Leafs at some point within the last few months, but it's starting to sound like they're going to have move a top prospect to get a substantial piece in return.
The issue for the Leafs that has persisted over the years is that they're generally right up against the cap, so there's not much leeway when it comes to taking on a bigger contract at the deadline.
That has caused a major hiccup in their advancement for St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn, who carries a cap hit of $6.5 million dollars through the end of the 2027-28 season.
On top of that, the Blues have set a very high asking price for Schenn, which would more or less cost the Leafs a first round pick as well as one of their top prospects in Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten.
The Philadelphia Flyers have been asking for a first round pick or Minten for Scott Laughton, and while the Leafs are snooping around Luke Schenn, but he should come relatively cheap, given his age and Nashville's struggles this season.
Then you have the Carolina Hurricanes, who are holding onto the holy grail of the deadline in Mikko Rantanen as they await his decision on whether or not he wants to sign an extension with the club before the trade deadline.
There's a lot of balls in the air right now and Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos feels the exact same way as he believes it's almost a foregone conclusion that either Cowan or Minten will no longer be with the Maple Leafs this time next week.
"I think there's some depth to picked up on the blue-line and in a perfect world to replace Timmins with Luke Schenn, yes absolutely, but again Luke's built up some stock over the last few years, he's not going to be cheap. You want to put those brothers together here, they're not going to be cheap and you gotta make that decision on what you want to move out.
They don't have their first round pick this year, I'm not sure it scares teams, I think they can float next year's out, you're talking about a bottom-third of the first round, there's always a big drop off there but I think teams will be happy to take the Leafs first round next year... I expect Minten or Cowan to be gone pretty much this time next week."
They don't have their first round pick this year, I'm not sure it scares teams, I think they can float next year's out, you're talking about a bottom-third of the first round, there's always a big drop off there but I think teams will be happy to take the Leafs first round next year... I expect Minten or Cowan to be gone pretty much this time next week."
It essentially boils down to whether or not the Maple Leafs feel comfortable enough to mortgage their future for the present. Their Stanley Cup window is right now and they need to make a big move to ensure they're set up for a deep run this year with the Eastern Conference wide open.
It's might have to come at the cost of Minten or Cowan, but if you can ensure the acquisition of a player like Schenn or Rantanen, that's a move you have to make with their position well within their contention window.
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