Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
A trade proposal from analyst Cole Shelton has the Maple Leafs sending off Nick Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for veteran forward Anthony Mantha.With September officially upon us, that means training camp is going to open up soon and the preseason is set to get underway. It’s a time where teams are getting their lineups finalized and figured out, and try their best to see who might sneak in as potential roster fits.
The Maple Leafs are a team who is going to have a ton of scrutiny regarding how they structure things this season, and there are still some concerns about bringing in a top-six scorer in time or if they’ll have to make do with what they have.
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However, a new trade proposal floating online shows they may be able to bring in that top-six presence for fairly cheap, as long as they give up on Nick Robertson.
Analyst Cole Shelton put out an article that had the Maple Leafs swapping Robertson with yet another Pittsburgh player by bringing in veteran Anthony Mantha.Mantha can add some offense to the Maple Leafs’ offense and also give Toronto more size. He’s a 6-foot-5, 234-pound forward who scores and is difficult to play against, especially in the playoffs.
Ultimately, Toronto needs to add more offensive players, and Mantha has proven he can score. But, this is a trade that likely would happen at the deadline, as Toronto will no doubt want to see how Mantha is coming back from a knee injury.
Shelton did note however, this deal would more than likely happen in March as opposed to right before the season begins.
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Mantha, 30, had a lot of hype coming into the NHL after an incredible junior career in the QMJHL but never really hit that offensive stride though he’s been quite solid all things considered.
He’s struggled the last two seasons, only appearing in 31 games with 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) but has 146 career goals in 507 games; he wasn’t the 100+ point producer like he was in junior, but Mantha is solid nonetheless.
He signed a one-year, $2.5-million deal this summer, so his cost wouldn’t really be an issue, and is only about $700,000 more than Robertson makes.
Also standing 6’5, Mantha would give Toronto even more size and length, his defensive game isn’t bad at all, he doesn’t mind throwing hits and doesn’t take many penalties.
Losing Robertson hurts and there is potential he truly can be that 20+ goal scorer every season, but he has yet to show it and time is running out. Replacing him with Mantha, who could give John Tavares and William Nylander that big winger they need, would allow Matias Maccelli or even Calle Jarnkrok to slide up top.
Again, bringing in a player with injury concerns and giving up a player with potential is a very Maple Leafs thing to do, and with this new contingent maybe it would be best for them to wait it out.
Who knows? Maybe Robertson can break out and Toronto can sell him to someone with a bit more zip offensively than Mantha.
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Maple Leafs Mentioned in Trade Idea Sending Nick Robertson for Proven 6-Foot-5 Scoring Winger
Would you trade Nick Robertson for Anthony Mantha?