Maple Leafs trade thinking shifts as Auston Matthews and William Nylander remain out of talks, Fried
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According to Elliotte Friedman on Saturday’s Headlines, the Maple Leafs may be widening their trade option as two of their superstars seem to be safe for now.
For Elliotte Friedman, he’s heard that Toronto is really starting to get to work and other players could be in the mix.
Maple Leafs stars safe for now as team widens trade options
Appearing during the Leafs/Sens game for his Saturday’s Headlines segment, Friedman noted that the Maple Leafs are widening the field on who they are making available with it sounding like Auston Matthews and the stars being safe — for now:
The word around the Maple Leafs now is that they are widening their scope of what they’d consider, now I don’t think it’s anything like Matthews or Nylander or anything like that; they are talking a bit more about players with term.
Friedman did not imply the stars would be traded, or that Toronto is looking for a full teardown, but are simply opening up their options as things get dire.
What players with term could be available
Players with term doesn’t necessarily mean superstars. Guys under contract who could be moved include Max Domi, Dakota Joshua, Steven Lorentz, and even a goalie like Joseph Woll or Anthony Stolarz.
Then you have arguably the most interesting piece in Matthew Knies, who is signed long-term on a reasonable deal, is young, and bound to be a bonafide star for years to come. A package for a superstar on top of picks might pique their interest a little more.
But it does open up a whole new can of worms for the Maple Leafs. The team wants to do whatever is necessary to win, but they aren’t winners right now and they don’t even look close.
There’s a lot of positivity that comes from trading high on several assets, and a restocked cupboard isn’t the worst thing in the world. The last time Toronto had some really good draft picks it led to the Core Four, and a decade later they might be on the same path again.
In this upcoming draft, Toronto has three total picks, their best in the third-round. If they are going to ignore the fact they have nothing built for the future and forgo acquiring what could be the potential for upwards of seven or eight picks plus prospects — they honestly deserve all the criticism they’re getting.
As of now, the team is confident in their stars and it doesn’t sound like they are going to be on the move but in this crazy, hectic world of the NHL anything can happen.
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Maple Leafs trade thinking shifts as Auston Matthews and William Nylander remain out of talks, Friedman says
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