{"id":993,"date":"2023-01-17T19:51:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T19:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/?p=993"},"modified":"2023-01-17T19:51:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T19:51:15","slug":"maple-leafs-need-at-the-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldprof.nhltradetalk.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/17\/maple-leafs-need-at-the-trade-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"The Maple Leafs #1 Need At the Trade Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Stan Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Toronto Maple Leafs need three things to help push them over the hump in the playoffs.\u00a0First, they need a Hart Trophy-winning, Conn Smythe candidate forward. Second, they need a Norris Trophy-winning, Conn Smythe candidate on the defence. Finally, they need a Vezina-winning, Conn Smythe candidate goalie.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they can acquire those three things, hoisting the Stanley Cup should be no problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: TRACKING THE MAPLE LEAFS\u2019 SICK & INJURED LIST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seriously, It’s Time to Take the Next Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seriously though, there is one thing they need to take that next step.\u00a0The Maple Leafs have maybe their best depth at the defence that this edition of the team has had.\u00a0Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin have taken the next step in their development. Despite their recent swoon, they are one of the top defensive teams in the league.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Timothy Liljegren, 2020-21 Upper Deck Allure – Red Rainbow Jersey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Their goaltending is what it is.\u00a0They have a two-time Stanley Cup winner in Matt Murray if he can stay healthy, and they have a backup goalie that has a .650 winning percentage in his NHL career, in Ilya Samsonov.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we focus on their forwards we see they have five players who are a lock in their top six.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These forwards are Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, and Michael Bunting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have the following players that have been bottom six players or AHL regulars for the majority of their careers (as long and short as these have been): Calle Janrkrok, Alex Kerfoot, Pierre Engvall, David Kampf, Pontus Holmberg, Zach Aston-Reese, Joey Anderson, Dryden Hunt, and Bobby McMann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have two aging, one-dimensional forwards in Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Ex-Maple Leafs\u2019 Defenseman Jake Gardiner: Where Is He Now?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is It Time for GM Kyle Dubas to Make a Splash?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Janrkrok has had recent success in the top six scoring 14 points in his last 15 games.\u00a0The question is can he sustain that?\u00a0Kerfoot has shown he is a much stronger third-line player than a solid second-liner.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\u00a0general manager Kyle Dubas wants to show he is seriously going for it this season, and his job might depend on it, he needs to go all in on an impactful difference-making player to play in their top six. At whatever the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft is a start.\u00a0After that, any draft pick or prospect should be in play.\u00a0Even Matthew Knies should not be untouchable if the player coming the other way is more than just a rental player.\u00a0Players in the bottom six on expiring deals, such as Kerfoot and Engvall should also be in play.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Alex Kerfoot, Maple Leafs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The window for this version of the Maple Leafs is rapidly closing.\u00a0Big changes are coming, whether it be to free up money to pay the core in their next contracts or to replace them if that fails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s Time to Go All In<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The time for this team to go all in is now.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Three Takeaways from Maple Leafs\u2019 4-3 Loss to Bruins<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a strong team again this season. What do they need to go far into the Stanley Cup playoffs?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":464,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[31,32,40],"class_list":["post-993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-toronto-maple-leafs","tag-alex-kerfoot","tag-calle-jarnkrok","tag-pierre-engvall"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Maple Leafs #1 Need At the Trade Deadline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Toronto Maple Leafs have a strong team again this season. 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